Red Knot Classified McLaren Vale GSM 2020 (Australia)

Description

• Savoury complexity
• Cherries & roses
• Chocolate
• Ripe tannins

"Beautifully perfumed and inviting, the bouquet shows Black Doris plum, sweet cherry, floral, mixed spice and hazelnut characters. The palate offers wonderful fruit richness and supple mouthfeel, making it soothing and deliciously appealing. At its best: now to 2027" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2021

Dark cherry red in colour. Fragrant aromas of cherries and roses are highlighted with hints of chocolate while the lively, medium weight palate is filled with flavours of bright summer berries. The luscious Grenache is complemented and structurally enhanced by the darker berry flavours and ripe tannins of the Shiraz and Mourvèdre, offering immediate appeal, whilst with age the wine will develop an attractive, savoury complexity.

The region has a Mediterranean climate with wet winters, dry summers and plenty of sunshine. The proximity to St Vincent Gulf, coincidentally named after the patron saint of winemakers, benefits fruit quality with warmer spring and autumn conditions and cooler summers. McLaren Vale is renowned as a premium wine region of great beauty that consistently produces high quality, richly flavoured wines.

Despite a very dry August a wet July in 2019 brought winter rainfall (233mm) close to the average. The relatively cool winter resulted in mid-September budburst, more in line with long term averages. Good rainfall in September was followed by a dry October and November. A record hot spring day on 20th of November (39.9ºC) followed by several days of very high winds affected cultivars flowering at the time, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, reducing berry set. Hotter than average spring temperatures along with a very hot December and high evaporation meant strategic and timely early irrigation was critical in setting up vine growth and maximizing fruit quality. The upside of these conditions was very low levels of pest and disease. McLaren Vale was fortunate to be unaffected by the devastating fires across many regions.