Description
When leading Barossa winemaker Kym Teusner’s friend Neil Pahuja from ‘the big smoke’ said he had the wish (and the cash) to get into fine wine production, he asked that Kym keep an eye out for something special.
Shortly thereafter a vineyard that Kym had coveted from his beginnings in the Barossa Valley came onto the market. The 20ha vineyard is located on Roennfeldt Road, straddling one of the highest points of the boundary between Greenock and Marananga, perched on the northern end of the ironstone ridge that lays claim to some of the Barossa’s most famous. Indeed, right next door is the source of our own Righteous Shiraz, Torbreck’s Laird, Two Hands, Greenock Creek and the list goes on. At 315m ASL it sits among the most elevated sites on the ‘valley floor’ and being on the end of the ridge there are 3 distinct aspects to the block – east being planted predominantly to shiraz, North to Cabernet Sauvignon and west to Grenache and Mataro. As Kim says “It doesn’t come any sweeter than this.”
“The vineyard’s location has led to lean and depleted stoney soils that significantly limit possible yields. The outstanding geology of the site and the suitability to grow cracking grapes on these shallow, ancient soils was just another major draw card. Traditionally the fruit has been locked into lengthy contracts to the corporate end of town, consistently producing a small crop of coveted fruit that has oft found its way into their icon wines. I can certainly see why. The wines are distinctly Barossan with the depth and concentration that you expect from Marananga and Greenock but have that site driven savoury balance that I always long for.
“A hallmark of the Utopos Vineyard on Roennfeldt Road is the pitch perfect acid/ tannin balance we can achieve in fully ripened fruit. This provides for delicious, highly approachable wines in their youth, whilst enabling them to develop over a 10-15 year period, and maybe more.” Kim Teusner.
James Halliday awarded Utopos a 5 Stars Winery and named it in Top 10 New Wineries 2020 after the first release of the 2016 wines receiving 95, 96 and 97 points respectively. “Everything is just so right: great vineyard, great winemaker, great story, great packaging.”
About this wine: 50% Mataro 25% Shiraz 25% Grenache from vines planted between 2000 and 2004. Open fermented as separate parcels and blended post barrel maturation. Selective machine harvested. Transferred direct to open fermenter. 7 day cold soak and 5-7 day fermentation with cultured yeast acclimatised and added at the end of cold soak. Pumped over twice daily and fermented between 22 and 28 degrees C. Slotted screen bag pressed to tank. Racked off gross lees to barrel after a few days settling for malolactic fermentation. Approximately 40% new French oak (mostly 500-600L puncheons) for around 2 years. Balance being 2nd and 3rd fill French oak.
About this wine from the winemaker: “..The Mataro component leads the aromatics with fine spice and herbal characters, with Shiraz and Grenache in support with black and red fruits. On the palate, the juicy red fruits of Grenache and the plumper, darker flavour profile of Shiraz integrate beautifully with the charcuterie like savoury characters of the Mataro. The flavour profile of the wine is rich, and ripe, but without an inch of fat on it! A wine that will reward straight up upon release, but also built to last for 10-15 years.”
94 points, Tyson Stelzer for Halliday’s Wine Companion “50/35/15% mataro/shiraz/grenache, from 15-18 yo vines. MSG is of course GSM turned on its head. The black fruits and firm, mineral, savoury tannins of mataro are the game here, which could threaten to topple the balance in the hands of mere mortals, but here perfectly in place in the succulent and glossy style of Kym Teusner. A benchmark of this blend, perfectly set off by high-cocoa dark chocolate French oak and impressive acid line. Patience.”
James Suckling – 93 points
98 Points – Stuart McCloskey, Vinorium UK “The 2019 blend is comprised of 50% Mataro, 35% Shiraz and 15% Grenache. The bouquet is a colossal, brooding skyscraper which needs coaxing with aeration (I suggest decanting for 6-8 hours). Sweet spices, blue and blackberry liqueur, asphalt, baked earth, bitter chocolate, liquorice, lavender and a heavenly twists of blood orange on the finish. The palate could not be any different; lithe, agile, elegant and full of freshness – the spine of acidity is a masterstroke and keeps the palate salivating. The fruit is juicy and the flavours open up like a peacock’s tail. Mineral-laced blueberry compote, floral pastille, lavender, some warmth and depth from black liquorice. Perhaps some sweet cherry on the finish too – white pepper after minutes. The tannins are supple and add the faintest of grip. This is such a fascinating wine, one which plays a hedonistic bouquet off against a palate which is in the hands of an angel. Drinking now (decant for 6+ hours) and will age gracefully over the coming ten or more years.
RRP $70 Our Price $67.99 – Very Limited!
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