Penley Estate Condor Shiraz Cabernet 2008

Winery: Penley Estate

Varietal: Syrah

The Shiraz or Syrah grape varietal has seen a huge surge in popularity over the past few decades, partly due to the fact that more and more wineries around the world are beginning to plant and process this robust and flavorful grape for international audiences. This varietal has plenty going for it, and has the special ability of being able to clearly express positive features of its terroir in the bottle, alongside its characteristic flavors of dark berries, pepper and other spices. Shiraz/Syrah is also notably a highly versatile grape, and has been successfully used in several type of still red wine, as well as excellent sparkling and fortified wines. It is also regularly used as a blending grape, where it is prized for its ability to add a bold and strong, spicy punch to mellow, blended wines.

Region: Limestone Coast

The Limestone Coast in Southern Australia has long since been an important wine producing region for the country, with almost one third of all Australian wines being produced there. The region benefits enormously from its coastal position, enjoying a cool maritime climate for much of the year, complete with brisk ocean breezes which help the grapes ripen slowly and fully. Many of the highest quality wines of Australia are made in this special region, most notably the excellent Cabernet Sauvignon wines made from Limestone Coast grapes. However, grapes of both colors grow exceptionally well in the mineral rich soils of Limestone Coast, and wineries have for many decades experimented successfully with a range of grape varietals, making it an interesting and exciting region for wine makers and drinkers alike.

Country: Australia

With over sixteen thousand hectares of Australian land now under vine, Australia has become something of a world leader in regards to wine production. One of Australia's key attributes to their success has been their willingness to leave traditional vineyard practices to one side, and develop techniques which are perfectly suited to a New World country. Modern Australian wineries take into consideration the climate and the unique soil types which cover much of their country, and have had fantastic results from cross-breeding programs and blending practices which make the most of the grape varietals which thrive most successfully there, notably the Shiraz and Chardonnay grapes. In recent years, Australia has been lauded as the 'most influential' wine producing country in the world, and the rest of the New World is looking down under for inspiration, and the ability to produce comparable fine wines on their own terrain.