Red 2007
3 Amigos Shiraz Grenache Mataro 2007
Tasting Note
A hot dry vintage has made this a deep, dark and intense trifecta. It has a nose of black raspberries and shiraz plum interwoven with clove and spicy ground pepper. Pastille notes of grenache are found throughout this medium to full bodied red; the concentrated but pure fruit is fleshy and wound together with pliable mataro tannin that is subtle yet firm enough for a long, persistent finish. This wine can be drunk now but will soften and mesh with more time in the bottle.
Ryan Walsh and Freya Hohnen, winemakers
THE SEASON
An outstanding albeit relatively early vintage in Margaret River. Across the board, grapes showed excellent flavour development and good acidity. Vintage took place during some of the hottest March days ever recorded. While Perth sweltered at 42 degrees, Margaret River, with its cooling maritime influence, recorded 37.5. Yields were down overall.
VINEYARDS
The red amigos are sourced separately from three of the McHenry Hohnen vineyards - shiraz from Rocky Road, grenache from McLeod Creek and mataro from McHenry's. Rocky Road and McLeod Creek lie south of Margaret River near Witchcliffe. McHenry's sits in the centre of the region, overlooking the Margaret River. The three sites share similar soils - tough laterite gravels derived from granite. These free draining, moderately fertile soils restrain the growth habit of these normally vigorous varieties and promote concentration of flavour in small crops of fully ripe grapes. All vines on the McH vineyards are grown on a single bilateral cordon with a vertically trained canopy. It is a simple and practical format that maximises light penetration and maintains a balanced vine.
VINIFICATION
Grapes are fermented in small, open vats allowing precise judgements as fermentation proceeds and colour, flavour and tannins are extracted from the skins. Towards the completion of the primary fermentation the skins are pressed and the wine run to barrel for finishing and maturation.The blend (43% Shiraz, 35% Grenache, 19% Mataro, 3% Marsanne) is assembled in late summer, prior to bottling ahead of the next vintage.
pH 3.55
TA 5.7
Sugar 0.5
Alc 14.5