Turkey Flat Shiraz, Barossa Valley
The historic Turkey Flat property, near Tanunda in the heart of the Barossa Valley, lies on rich, alluvial soils adjacent to Bethany Creek. The Turkey Flat wine includes parcels of original, old-vine material from estate-owned, low-yielding, low-vigour vineyards of varying ages in the Bethany and Stonewell sub-regions.
Some of Turkey Flat’s ancient Shiraz vines date back to 1847 and are still in production.
The wine is vinified in open, stainless-steel fermenters, followed by around 20 months maturation in new and seasoned French oak hogsheads. Turkey Flat Shiraz is the result of an intricate blending process. Each parcel of fruit with potential for inclusion is individually vinified and barrel-aged. The final blend excludes all but the very finest components, providing certainty as to quality, consistency and longevity. The wine is typified by dark cherry and chocolate-like aromas and flavours, ripe, textured tannins, plenty of fruit sweetness, concentration and flavour length.
"From vines dating back to 1847, hand-picked, open-fermented with 10% whole bunches, matured in French oak (40% new) for 18 months. The price of this classic estate-grown wine has been increased, but not by much, leaving this as underpriced as it is a beautifully crafted wine with a history all of its own. It has power and presence, and above all a purity of taste and structure. The black fruits have waves and crosscurrents of flavour and texture, the finish long and balanced."
98 points, James Halliday, March 2018.
"Quite a compact feel in the palate with fine, feathery tannins a feature. It’s still got lashings of clove spice, pencil shavings, tobacco, but the real deal is the currant-cherry fruit flavours and a distinct lick of liquorice. It’s not a huge wine but it makes its presence known with bold aromas and flavours with the finish a neat smudge of additional chewy tannin. I like the vibe; it’s a bit more elegant than expected though it has a sense of lushness too." 94 points, Mike Bennie (October 2018)
"Deep red/purple colour with a rich plum cake, fruitcake and chocolate bouquet. The palate is full-bodied and rich, dense and thickly-textured, with chewy tannins and a long follow-through. The tannins are gritty and savoury, with a certain earthiness and cocoa powder flavour. This has stacks of potential, but needs cellaring." 92 points, Huon Hooke (October 2018)
Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony’s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. In the mid-1800’s Silesian and English immigrants settled in the area. The Barossa itself comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers and relatively low rainfall. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent modify the temperature, however hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. Many older established vineyards are dry-grown, but supplementary irrigation is also extensively used. The valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. A long history of uninterrupted viticulture in the area means the Barossa valley is home to Australia’s largest concentration of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre with many over 100 years old. Although most famous for Shiraz, the Barossa can also produce fragrant and deliciously fruity Grenache blends and beautifully rich, chocolatey Cabernet Sauvignons.
