Do we ship to you?.
More wines available from Cirillo
More Details
Winery
Cirillo
Vintage: 2010
2010 saw extremely high quality viticulture in many parts of the world, with an exceptionally long and hot summer providing huge benefits for wineries across many countries, especially in the southern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere and Europe saw something of a cooler summer and flowering period, but this was by no means as disastrous as it could have been. France, especially, had a fantastic year in 2010, with the world renowned Burgundy region proclaiming that their white wines of this year are ones to look out for, and despite yields being relatively small across much of the country, the quality was exceptionally high. Spain, too, received some cooler weather, but Rioja and the rest of central Spain are hailing 2010 as a very good year indeed, again as a result of smaller, finer yields. California also received similar climatic conditions, but again, wineries are highly positive about the overall effect this had on their produce, as the slightly challenging conditions resulted in smaller yields of much elegance and distinction.
2010 was really Australia's year, and in South Australia and across the Mornington Peninsula, Chardonnay vines produced good yields with a lower sugar level than in previous years. As such, the majority of South Australian white wines from 2010 are superb, and packed full of character. Shiraz also had a great year, and most Australian wineries have been proclaiming 2010 one of the great vintages. Both the Argentinian and Chilean wine industries benefited from some ideal climatic conditions this year, and are reportedly ecstatically pleased with the fact that their 2010 wines ended up with lower alcohol levels, and were beautifully balanced wines packed full of flavor.
Varietal: Grenache
Grenache grapes have long been cultivated in various parts of Europe, and are noted for being particularly successful in arid regions which are both hot and very dry. As such, they are ideal for many New World countries, and have quickly established themselves as one of the most widely grown red wine grape varietals in the world. The Grenache grape is easily identifiable by its purple skin, and tightly hanging bunches which grow quite rigorously in the correct conditions. They are most commonly associated with light bodied wines, with little tannins or acidity, yet quite a high alcohol content. As such, they are very versatile, and are regularly used for both single variety and blended wines, in which their strong and unique features can shine through.
Region: Barossa
Australia is known around the world for the high quality of its flavorful Shiraz wines, and Barossa Valley, near the city of Adelaide is surely the home of the finest Shiraz grapevines in the country. The first vineyards in the Barossa Valley were established in the late 19th century by German settlers, however today there are dozens of high quality and unique businesses operating in the region, making the most of the temperate continental climate the valley enjoys, and producing a wide range of wines made from various grape varietals. Whilst Shiraz grapes thrive particularly well in this part of Australia, there are now vineyards in Barossa Valley growing all kinds of red and white grape varietals, and showing a real flair for flavor, aroma and complexity brought about by a strong mix of traditional and modern techniques.
Country: Australia
Despite much of Australia being covered by dry, arid deserts and bushland, the southern regions of the country and islands such as Tasmania have proved to be ideal for vineyard cultivation and wine production. The fertile soils and brisk oceanic breezes, coupled with the blazing Australian sunshine allow the grapes to grow to full ripeness before a late harvest, resulting in hugely flavorful wines which appeal to a wide international audience. Combine this with the experimental and daring approach Australian wineries have in regards to wine production, and it becomes clear why Australia has relatively quickly become something of a world leader when it come to exporting their produce to Europe and America. The Shiraz and Chardonnay grape varietals have produced the most successful and broadly appreciated results over the decades, however, in more recent years wineries have begun experimenting with a much wider range of grape varietals, demonstrating how Australian wineries are continuing to adapt and develop alongside international palates.