PIRATHON 2006 SHIRAZ (download PDF)

The grapes were harvested from the low-yielding vineyards of traditional family growers in the north-western Barossa districts of Greenock, Moppa, Belvedere, Stonewell, Seppeltsfield, Koonunga and Ebenezer. The 2006 growing season was interesting and diverse and can’t be summed up as either cool, hot, wet or dry as it was all of these in one! Spring and early Summer were extremely wet and windy and this was then followed in mid January by the biggest heat wave since the 1940s. Fortunately this heat was early enough in the season to not be detrimental. After this heat, cooler conditions prevailed to the end of Summer. Another warm and dry period in early Autumn helped the grapes ripen and mature good flavours. Cool, wet conditions prevailed late in the season resulting in vibrant fresh fruit flavours being retained and predominating in the grapes. In summary, it was a very good season in the Barossa.

The wine was entirely vintaged at the Kalleske winery at Greenock by Tony & Troy Kalleske. Following harvest, each individual lot of grapes was crushed into a separate open top fermenter. During fermentation, hand pump-overs gently extracted colour and flavour from the grapes. The fermented grapes were pressed with a traditional basket press. The wines were then filled to new and seasoned American, French, Russian and Hungarian hogsheads for maturation. After two years in the barrel cellar, each lot of wine was racked from the barrel before careful blending. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration, ensuring the true expression of the vineyards in the bottle.

Pirathon Shiraz 2006 is dark red-black in colour. The perfumed bouquet is lifted with rich aromas of fruit cake, roses, blackcurrant, chocolate, nutmeg spice and wild berry. The serious and complex palate is mouthfilling with generous dark fruit and balanced oak barrel characters. This full-bodied wine is multi-dimensional with a solid structure and fine integrated tannins. A very persistent finish completes a powerful and well-balanced wine. Pirathon is a paramount expression of north-western Barossa Shiraz that will reward time in the cellar.