Salena Estate Ink Series Petit Verdot Shiraz 2006

Tasting note: Colour - Dense blackish red. Aroma - Intense warm bramble fruit and violet aromas with some spice. Taste - Full-bodied with rich black fruits and smoky liquorice and spice over rounded tannins.

	Type:Still Red Wine		Country:Australia		Appellation:South Australia
	Grape Type:Red blend		Drink Before:End of 2009		Body:Rich and Flavoursome
	Alcohol:14%		Bottle Size:75cl		Bottle Code:39131

Petit Verdot is a grape with pedigree! It originates from Bordeaux, where it is only used sparingly by some of the top châteaux. The reason for this is its fiercely tannic nature which is only desirable in small amounts; it also brings lots of rich spice and dark fruit character. It can also be tricky to grow, only flowering in clement weather and not always ripening properly.

In Australia, as you might imagine, ripening is not a problem, tannins are considerably softened, yet it retains all its dark, inky, violet-scent and rich blackberry and mulberry fruit character.

This is a chunky rich red from Bob and Sylvia Franchitto's family estate in Renmark, South Australia. Named after their daughter, Salena, the winery was only started in 1998, but just in that 10 years, it has won many awards and they pride themselves on being specialists with this grape.

All the fruit for this wine, including a portion of smoky liquorice-flavoured Shiraz, comes from the family's Bookpumong vineyard, where the vines are over 15 years old. A traditional fermentation was followed by six months oak-ageing with a little micro-oxygenation to soften the wine. The winemaker is Robert Patynowski, who has had experience in Europe, South Africa, the States and around Australia.

Vienna wine show 2007, Austria

International Wine & Spirit Competition 2007, United Kingdom

International Wine & Spirit Competition 2007, United Kingdom