Halliday review

Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Great colour, super-intense blackcurrant and earthy Coonawarra cabernet fruit on the bouquet and medium bodied palate; tannins and extract are perfectly balanced 96 points James Halliday

Regions

Murdock Wines own and operate two vineyards in arguably the best wine regions in Australia, Coonawarra and the Barossa.

Coonawarra

The vineyard is a small 14 Hectare property in the heart of Coonawarra and is part of the original sub-division by John Riddoch, located on the famous Terra Rossa strip.

The vines were originally planted in 1973 and are meticulously managed to produce small quantities of the finest grapes possible.

Varieties planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Riesling and Chardonnay, which are dry grown with yields naturally restricted to around 5 Tonnes/Ha or less. The Shiraz has recently been grafted to a little more Merlot and some Tempranillo, we are quietly excited about the prospects of both of these varieties in Coonawarra.

Barossa

The recently acquired Barossa vineyard is on the east side of the valley, on the cusp of the Barossa Ranges. Soils are deep and fertile allowing the vines to naturally produce small quantities of beautifully balanced fruit.

Vines were originally planted in 1982 and now have the maturity that’s required to produce wines that are special in nature.

Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon are planted, and we intend to graft some Grenache to balance the vineyard to one of iconic Barossa varieties.

Wine Production

Select parcels expressing the best varietal character are then identified each vintage. These are carefully vinified by contract winemaker Pete Bissell to create boutique wines that express true regional character, but more importantly, the individuality of vineyard and associated viticultural practices.

Quality is our primary aim, and as such production will always be limited.

The latest wine to the portfolio, and an absolute cracker. It's a blend of two regions and three varieties.

The inaugural release is a blend of Grenache, Tempranillo and Shiraz from our Barossa and Coonawarra vineyards

The wine shows what a harmonious combination these three varieties can make. This is a fruit driven wine that shows great complexity, layers of flavour and real texture!

The Murdock Cabernet Sauvignon is regularly acknowledged as one of the best examples of this variety from both Coonawarra and Australia (see Reviews)

"…in the class of the top Coonawarra reds - Wynns John Riddoch, Parker Estate 1st Growth, Zema Family Reserve & Petaluma Coonawarra…"
Five Way Cellars, Paddington NSW

Released October 2008

The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is the latest release of our flagship wine.

An excellent viticultural year resulted in a wine of immense power, but with the finesse that Murdock has become accustomed.

This wine will develop beautifully over time.

Viticulture

Produced from vines planted 20 - 30 years ago that are dry grown resulting in yields in 2004 restricted to less than 2T/Ha or 21HL/Ha.

Mechanically pruned with a very detailed hand clean-up.

Mechanically harvested and placed into the fermenter within 15 min of harvest.

Winemaking

Fermented in 8T open-topped statics followed by 60% barrel fermentation

Maturation

66% new French & 33% new Russian tight grained, medium toast, aged for approximately 18 months

Analysis

The Merger is our quintessential claret.

It is the 'merging' of the very best of region and variety: Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Barossa Shiraz.

The wine shows excellent structure and length with exceptional fruit characters.

This is a 'real' wine, the way wine should be, one that will appease any discerning palate.

The 2005 Merger is a blend of 60% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Baroosa Shiraz from our estate vineyards.

Viticulture

Dry grown old Cabernet & Shiraz

Winemaking

A combination of 8T open-topped statics and vinomatics.

Maturation

66% second use & 33% third use French oak.

Analysis