More wines available from Elderton
Pre-Arrival
Elderton Shiraz Command 2000
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$95.89
#27 of Top 100: 2004. Big and powerful, brimming with tarry, spicy black cherry, dark plum, blackberry and chocolate...
750ml
Bottle:
$98.15
A savoury, red-fruited quality to the fruit with spiced plums and raspberry jam. Powerful, supercharged in the mouth,...
More Details
Winery
Elderton
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Semillon
Semillon grapes have been grown in the Old and New Worlds for several centuries, and were at one point probably the most widely grown grape in the world. Indeed, in the 19th century, over 90% of South Africa's vineyards were used for growing Semillon grapes, most probably due to the fact that Semillon vines are hardy and produce high yields of reliable quality, as well as being highly resistant to disease. The golden skinned grapes of Semillon vines are used to produce a wide range of wines, from dry, crisp and citrus flavored bottles, to sweeter, softer and more rounded examples, all of which are highly popular across the globe. They thrive in a wide range of climates, and their flavor often depends on how much sunshine and heat they are exposed to, given wineries a great opportunity to experiment with the flavors and aromas they get from the Semillon grapes they grow.
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
Whilst every Australian state has some level of wine production, it is in South Australia and on the island of Tasmania where the finest wines are made to the highest quantities. Here, the scorching Australian sun is a little tamer, and the heat is tempered by brisk oceanic winds, making the climate of these regions ideal for vineyard cultivation. The Tamar Valley on Tasmania has been making waves internationally in recent years, as both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varietals are thriving there and resulting in hugely flavorful wines, which are at once distinctly Australian, yet remain unique and interesting enough to surprise and impress. Elsewhere in the country, the Syrah grape (known locally as Shiraz) reigns supreme, as the long, hot summers allow these grapes to ripen fully and lend their intensely fruit-forward character to the ruby red Australian wines, which have such international appeal.