The historical significance of Barossa winery Château Tanunda comes through loud and clear in The Château Bethanian Shiraz. An inky, bold testament to the heritage that Château Tanunda represents, this wine could be from nowhere else.
Destemmed grapes are matured on skins for a week, before being basket pressed, then matured in a combination of French and American oak. The result is a seductively dark wine, brimming with black forest berries, sumptuous chocolate, and spice. Ripe and rich with fine tannin, the finish is luxuriantly long."Perfume works well, sweet earth clod, blackberry on briar, something almost Vegemite-like. The palate is thick, strong in flavour, concentrated dark, brambly berries, choc-cherry, wedges of thick, gummy tannins in the mix. Good length fits the bill. Firm, full shiraz done pretty well without fireworks. Feels a bit subdued even."
90 points, The Wine Front (March 2020)
"Inviting, deep, saturated colour is a great introduction to this husky shiraz. Fruit is subdued on the nose but it emerges with air to reveal dark berry, spice, bitter chocolate and tarry notes. Full-bodied and very ripe in the mouth, it's a power-packed drop that teeters on the edge of portiness. Ripe tannins are woven through sweet fruit harmoniously, alcohol gives notable heat to the finish. A big red."
92 points, The Real Review (May 2019)
"Wonderfully fruited and immediately appealing, the inviting bouquet shows sweet cherry, plum, vanilla pod and toasted spice characters, leading to a succulent palate that is plump and fleshy. It is comforting and satisfying with layers of rich flavours and silky texture."
94 points, Wine Orbit (May 2019)
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.
