-
95
/ 100
Campbell Mattinson
Red
Classification
Shiraz Blend
Variety
2012
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
Victoria, Yarra Valley
Region
14.5%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
95 / 100"A blend of pinot noir and shiraz. Made by William Downie. It's a ruminative release. It takes time to unwind and for most of that time it feels like you're being teased. It's cherried, woody, spicy and resolutely tannic. Savoury to its back teeth. It has an energy to it, a cured meat character, a slippery slide of smoky oak. It's the kind of wine Brian Croser refers to as 'water-based rather than alcohol-based'. The flavours certainly seem drawn with a fine-tipped pen rather than anything thick or heavy. It does its level best to fascinate"
- Campbell Mattinson
Tasting Notes
This wine came about when William Downie was asked to make a wine that speaks of the best of what Australia can do. He has full control of the process from the vineyard to the final packaging. The wine is from one vineyard in the Yarra Valley and is a blend of Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. The blend came about because Bill and the team felt that on their own they had three OK wines, but together they had a wine that offered “Truth in the Glass”. The wine spoke of where it came from. The wine making process was simply “Whole bunches in a vessel.” No destemming, no yeast additions, no crushing, no punched downs or pump overs. Even the Sauv Blanc was made with full stems and skins. In fact it spent almost a year on skins which would be considered almost heresy in most peoples winemaking manuals.
Thousand Candles caused quite a stir after its release. It is certainly a departure from traditional Australian wine making but one that has and pushed the boundaries and I feel in time this will be considered a classic.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity