2008 Sparkling Shiraz Durif

ENJOY ... This wine is a mouthful of flavour and fizz, and is the perfect complement to any celebratory occasion, or accompaniment to any rich and hearty meal. Ideal with Christmas turkey and New Year celebrations.

CELLAR ... up to 18 months, but perfect for celebrating with now.

PRONUNCIATION ... Shiraz [shee-rahz], Durif [dyoor-if; DUR-if]

Vintage conditions
Rutherglen fared particularly well in a vintage that saw floods and heat-waves cause havoc in many other Australian regions, with generally dry and moderately warm conditions resulting in great flavour development and wine balance. Yields, particularly in red varieties were lower than expected, largely due to small berry sizes, adding great intensity of colour and flavour.

Tasting notes
After the success of our inaugural vintage, we pleased to release a second vintage of our sparkling red. Made from two of Rutherglen’s iconic red grape varieties in a blend of Shiraz and Durif, we have added the ‘sparkles’ via the traditional ‘methode champenoise', with secondary fermentation in the bottle.

Fresh fruit flavours and aromas of pepper, spice, chocolate and anise fill the mouth and then linger with a subtle touch of residual fruit sweetness. This wine is a mouthful of flavour and fizz, and is the perfect complement to any celebratory occasion.

Winemaking
Separate batches of Shiraz and Durif were selected and blended to produce a fresh, fruit driven and intensely flavoured dry red base wine with great balance and soft rounded tanins. The wine was then bottled with a touch of sugar and yeast, and allowed to undergo secondary fermentation to produce the ‘fizz’. It was left to sit for six months before the removal of the yeast and dosage or ‘sweetening’ with a small amount of liqueured vintage port.

Wine detail & analysis
Varieties  70% Shiraz, 30% Durif
Region  Rutherglen, North East Victoria
Harvest date  March 2008
Release date  September 2009
Alcohol  14.5%
Oak treatment  a30% old French oak hogshead
Total acid  6.15g/L
pH  3.44
Residual sugar  approx 30g/L

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Liquor Watch, Nov/Dec 2009
RAZZLE DAZZLE RED
'Rutherglen have released their 2008 Sparkling Shiraz Durif. Separate batches of Shiraz and Durif wines were selected to blend a fresh, fruit driven, dry red base. The result was a second vintage of the Sparkling, which has flavours and aromas of pepper, spice, chocolate and anise. It's a perfect accompaniment to any occasion, and will complement a Christmas turkey lunch.'

Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, 28 October 2009
RUTHERGLEN ESTATES SPARKLING SHIRAZ DURIF 2008
'My only quibble with this wine is that I wish it was cheaper - so that I could lob up for a dozen. Crowd pleasing sparking red. I haven't had a drink for four days - the first such break in years most probably - but I came mighty close to swallowing this. It's got drinkability written all over it. And throughout it. Cuddly choc-berry flavour, sweet and plump, but with a groove of drying tannin. Trust me, it works a treat. (But only trust me if you generally like drinking sparkling red - of course.) 91 points'

SILVER  Rutherglen Wine Show 2009