MOUNT LANGI GHIRAN Cliff Edge Shiraz, Grampians
Cliff Edge is a savoury, spicy Victorian Shiraz that rates among the very best, for both quality and value. As veteran commentator Chris Shanahan says, Cliff Edge is ‘about as sexy as Shiraz gets at the price – beautifully, sweetly aromatic with a vibrant, fruity palate to match’. Since 2008, Cliff Edge has been made entirely from estate-grown fruit, mostly from a 1981 vineyard established using cuttings from the original 1967 plantings, which are themselves from the 140-year-old Concongella vine nursery at Great Western.
This is the famous pre-phylloxera ‘Swiss clone’, introduced by Swiss immigrants on their way to the goldfields, and representing some of the oldest Shiraz clonal material in the world. It is perfectly matched to the cool Grampians climate and consequently long autumn ripening period. This fruit makes a wine that is supple, fine and long, already showing complex and layered aromas and flavours – it is another legacy of (and tribute to) the late Trevor Mast, Mount Langi Ghiran’s visionary founding winemaker.
'Pepper, boysenberry ripple, grilled meat, five spice, blackberry and chocolate - continued to unfurl and reveal more as it sat in the glass. Medium bodied, slippery yet firm, lush but controlled.. Ample flavour. No heat. Great release. Yum factor 10 here too.' 95 points, Gary Walsh
In the finest vintages, the second wines of the great estates of the world make fantastic buys and great value for money. 2012 is an outstanding Cliff Edge of persistence and refinement, impressively exotic and exuberant, yet restrained and focused. There’s great depth here of blackberry and black plum fruit, licorice straps, pepper and exotic spice, all the while lively, effortless and medium-bodied, thanks to refreshing acidity and fine, mineral tannins. I have not tasted a finer shiraz under $30 yet this year, making this a remarkable buy... Drink to 2017. 95 points, Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste Weekly.
The Grampians
Located in western Central Victoria, the Grampians was settled during the gold rush of the 1850’s. Indeed the vivid history of the gold rush is inextricably intertwined with the history of viticulture in the region. Seppelt at Great Western, one of the region’s iconic wineries was built at the end of the gold rush when scores of out-of-work prospectors excavated its extensive drives and cellars. The "drives" completed in 1932, stretch for three kilometres and provide perfect conditions for the maturation of sparkling wine, for which the region is well-known. The climate of the Grampians is Mediterranean and essentially cool with vineyards situated at elevations ranging from 240 to 350m. The region experiences long sunshine hours and low rainfall necessitating supplementary irrigation. Soils in the region range from weathered volcanic soils to sandy and red clay loams interspersed with ironstone. The region is suited to a diverse range of varietals including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon but is best known for its crisp fruity Riesling and distinctive spicy peppery Shiraz.Mount Langi Ghiran
Mount Langi Ghiran is a premium wine producer based in the Grampians region of Victoria. Originally planted as early as 1870, the original Shiraz vineyard was replanted in 1963 by the Frantin brothers. Intrigued by the high quality of the Fratin’s fruit, Trevor Mast joined Mount Langi Ghiran as a consultant winemaker in 1978. In 1987 Trevor, together with his wife Sandra Mast purchased the property and quickly established a strong following for the Langi Shiraz, one of Australia’s finest cool climate wines. The winery was sold in 2002 to the Rathbone family. Dan Buckle took over the winemaking from Trevor in 2003, continuing the vision and pursuit of quality that Trevor had set out. Tragically Trevor Mast passed away prematurely in 2012. His extraordinary vision continues to live on in the wines of Mount Langi Ghiran.
