Elderton Wines Ashmead Family Reserve Field Blend Grenache Mataro Carignan Shiraz 2020

Every now and then we have an opportunity to make something truly exceptional, that sits outside of the normal expectations of a style we make. Our Family Reserve Field Blend is just this. In 2020 we had an extremely low cropping level, perhaps the lowest yields since a time in the late 50s, according to the memories of many Barossa winemakers. Owing to their similar ripening pattern and trusted partnering, our Greenock old vine Grenache and Mataro were coupled with slim pickings of Carignan. Hand harvested and co-fermented, with a cool open fermentation and regular plunging to extract supple yet vibrant tannins, whilst retaining as much fruit as possible. Once pressed, the wine was filled to old French oak for malolactic fermentation, where a fraction of old vine Shiraz aided to top the last barrel. We chose to bottle this wine young, preserving freshness and brightness, with a very present savoury tannin profile.