2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Vineyard

The main Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard is immediately below the cellar door here at Bloodwood, and is planted to SA125 clone and trellised to a modified Scott-Henry trellis system which is tending more VSP as the vines struggle into a mean middle age. The soils derive from a mixture of altered andesitic volcaniclastic conglomerate and massive volcaniclastic sandstone, all of which means they are as confusing to geologists as they are to me. Lets just say they are very well drained gravels from our eruptive past sitting over a very friable red clay base. Oh, and they grow a little bit of very good Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vintage Conditions

Classic Bloodwood vintage this with excellent winter and spring rainfalls in 2004, followed by regular effective rains throughout the growing season with a crisp and dry autumn to perfectly ripen a very healthy crop of first class fruit. A total of 34 mm of rain over the three ripening months meant that vintage was a breeze for all concerned.

Winemaking

All fruit was hand picked and sorted ready for de-stalking on the 14th April 2005. Before processing, the fruit was cooled overnight to around 5 C and an addition of 20 ppm SO2 was made at the de-stalker. A high proportion of whole berries in the resultant must gradually broke down as fermentation began after an extended cold maceration in an insulated potter fermenter drainer. Vigourous pumping over three times a day through a nine day primary ferment meant that the process ran to dryness without a hitch. Inoculation with malo-lactic bacteria took place at 1Be as the new wine was pressed to a warming tank to complete secondary fermentation. As the fruit was outstanding, we decided to use 40% new French oak hogsheads during an extended careful temperature controlled maturation of 50 months. The wine was bench tested and gently fined prior to sterile filtration and bottling in August 2009.

Wine Analysis

Tasting Notes

Mr Hallidays Review of 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Good hue; a distinctly savoury yet elegant wine with Bordeaux overtones; black fruits, cedary oak and fine tannins give the wine length. Screwcap.
14.2% alc. Rating 92 Drink 2015

2006 Maurice

Vineyard

Bloodwood Maurice is a cellar style of wine which represents, for us, the best few barrels from any vintage which measures up in terms of quality. As a consequence, not every vintage is good enough for a release of a Bloodwood Maurice. We have to find six hogsheads of red wine which we consider to be of high enough quality and interest to qualify. There is no strict varietal mix from year to year, but generally it will be a wine built around Cabernet Sauvignon. (Having said that, the 1998 Maurice, which was entirely Merlot Noir, won high praise from Jancis Robinson.) The wine is our small tribute to the legendary winemaker Maurice O’Shea whose habit it was to visit cellars soon after each vintage and purchase barrels of the best wines he found. These wines he transported back to Mt Pleasant and blended into his own Maurice (O’Shea).

Vintage Conditions

Classic Bloodwood vintage this with excellent winter and spring rainfalls in 2004, followed by regular effective rains throughout the growing season with a crisp and dry autumn to perfectly ripen a very healthy crop of first class fruit. A total of 34 mm of rain over the three ripening months meant that vintage was a breeze for all concerned.

Winemaking

The winemaking for this wine style really comes down to a major blending session, often over several weeks in duration. As mentioned above, this wine is a cellar selection of the best blend of red wines (with the exception of Pinot Noir) we have from the vintage. So the winemaking is according to the individual components of the blend. The cepage in this case ended up being 85% cabernet Sauvignon; 12.5 % co-fermented Merlot Noir and Cabernet franc, with a dash (2.5% Shiraz) As with all Bloodwood wines, the 2005 Maurice was sterile filtered prior to bottling in August 2009.

Wine Analysis

Tasting Notes

Paul S (Blogger: http://www.grapestories.com/event.asp?iEvent=10479)

A twist on a classic left-bank blend, with 75% Cab Sauv, 10% Shiraz and 15% Merlot and Cab Franc. This was a lovely wine. Nose was rich, ripe and plump, without ever being candied or sweet. Plum and cassis fruit was mixed with tobacco and cigar box scents, and earthy, meaty nuances. Palate showed great balance again - nice, deep cassis tones and a touch of spice were wed to fresh acidity and ripe tannins. Lots of layered texture and some depth here. My only fault was that the tannins were not the most refined in the world, just leaning ever so slightly towards the chunky side, but really, the wine was very well-made otherwise. Finish had some satying power, with cassis and just slightly drying prune notes rounding the wine off. Very impressive - I now have a few bottles in my cellar. Should improve with time, hitting its peak in 5-6 years' time.

Mr Hallidays Review of 2005 Maurice

Holding hue very well; cedar, briar and earth nuances run through the primary black fruits of the bouquet and palate; the tannins are savoury but fine, the mouthfeel good despite the touch of austerity. Screwcap.
14% alc. Rating 93 Drink 2017

2006 Cabernet Franc

Vineyard

The Cabernet Franc vineyard is a major part of our original red planting which we call the Blend Block. The balance of that particular slope is Merlot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. It will not be surprising to learn that we have always been interested in producing our version of the classic Bordeaux blend with our own special twist. The Cabernet Franc part of the vineyard occupies the mid-section of an easterly facing slope with the rows running north/south on a Scott-Henry trellis, and is only released as a single variety when we feel it is good enough to represent Bloodwood.

Vintage Conditions

Another easy balanced vintage this for us with exceptional rain during late winter and spring 2005. However the dry returned with a big leering grin in early February and held right through the ripening months. In the end, fruit quality and quantity was well above average with good acid balance and fine fruit flavours. Picking of the cabernet franc took place on 2nd April 2006.

Winemaking

I inoculated the must after crushing with a Champagne yeast and transferred it to an over head fermenter drainer for a controlled three week ferment during which the fermenting must was oxygenated regularly. The fermentation temperature was kept in a fairly narrow band between 18 and 20 degrees C and inoculated with a malo-lactic starter at the press.

Wine Analysis

Tasting Notes

Paul S (Blogger: http://www.grapestories.com/event.asp?iEvent=10479)

2006 Bloodwood Cabernet Franc 90 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Central Ranges, Orange
I really liked this. Better than many of the over-green Loires I have tried, yet without a single hint of the sickly sweetness that many new world variations tend towards. Nose was very attractive, with tobacco leaf mingling with lovely fresh raspberry notes, roasted vine leaves and a toss of earth. Lovely balance on the palate - very fresh, and well textured - with ripe red fruit, damson plums, a touch of spice and well roasted capsicums. Finish was long, smoky and toasty, with a little pull of chalky tannins. Very interesting wine.

Mr Hallidays Review of 2005 Cabernet Franc
“Bright crimson; has the fragrance which is prized in Bordeaux, and also the hint of tobacco leaf on the red fruits of the palate; good length and structure; major surprise. Screwcap.”

Rating 92
Drink 2015

2008 Merlot Noir

Vineyard

Bloodwood .

Vintage Conditions

Stephen is currently fishing somewhere in the Burdekin. The last communication from him was this "I'm in the swamp down at the delta with a little web access... must catch a flathead for breakfast!." Stay tuned to this bottle in case he emerges from the swamp sane and productive.

Wine Analysis

Tasting Notes

Mr Hallidays Review of 2008 Merlot Noir

Showing some signs of development, the original crimson colour largely
gone; a savoury, foresty, black olive face of merlot (merlot has more
faces than you could poke a stick at) for traditionalists. Rating 89