Canberra District Shiraz is a celebration of spice. In the best years, the wine has a multifaceted character - a complex layering of spices intertwined with ripe berry notes. The texture too is striking: medium bodied with fine, silky tannins. The Viognier works in the background to bring the flavours, tannins and acids into a delightful harmony. Beauty rather than raw power is the focus here.

We were very excited after early tastings of the 2009 Shiraz Viognier. We had thought that 2008 vintage was the zenith, the best so far and the best we could do. Then 2009 arrived and showed a new dimension. In this slightly cooler but sunnier year, the spice and warm berries combined with a majestic power in tannins, acids and fruits to create an assertive, but elegant wine with amazing length and persistence.

The wine is made primarily from fruit (95% Shiraz with 4% by weight Viognier skins) grown at our vineyard at Lake George, supplemented with fruit from some Murrumbateman vineyards. The wine was cold soaked for 5 days before fermentation (up to 35º) with hand plunging 3 times a day. It is left on skins for a further 10 days then pressed off to French oak barriques to mature for 15 months.

The wine has an intense nose of freshly stewed plums, cinnamon, pepper, apricot and vanilla aromas with a lingering savoury palate entangled with a long fine grained tannins which hold together in the mouth for a remarkably extended period after the initial mouthful.

This wine will cellar for 5-8 years.

Reviews

Winewise Championship 2012: ‘Outstanding’ rating and ‘Best 2009 Shiraz’
(one of 3 wines). Winewise, April 2012.  

‘This wine shows all the qualities of a great vintage in the Canberra district. The knockout dark cherry/blackberry characteristics are supported by classy oak and a hint of spiciness. The palate is silky, opulent and fine’.

Dan Murphy’s National Wine Show of Australia 2011: Top Gold in Shiraz Viognier Class.

Judges Comment: 'The top wine [2009 Lerida Estate Shiraz Viognier] is a superb example of the style; exquisite spice with beautiful texture and line’.

Nicks Wine Merchants (Simon), 20 April 2012: Rating: 96/100:

‘Totally opaque black crimson red colour with deep crimson red dark purple hue. On the nose lifted scents of liquorice and black pepper are followed by some blackberry, spice and light confectionary. Full bodied, the palate possesses plenty of richness yet remains relatively tightly structured and elegant. Mouth filling flavours of liquorice, blackberry and black pepper followed by some underlying meaty characters and spice. Slightly firmish but fine grained tannins provide superb structural support. Excellent depth with long persistent liquorice, black pepper and meaty spice aftertaste. A superb balancing act between power and structure’.

Food Matches:

This wine is well suited to rich red meat dishes (stews or curries), spicy dishes, and hard and washed rind cheeses.

Awards

View the awards for this wine, as well as the awards for all our other wines...