2017 Kaesler Avignon Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre

The Kaesler vineyards are located around the village of Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley and have been planted since 1893. After a long period working in France and South Africa, the successful winemaker Reid Bosward returned to Barossa in 1999 to work with a number of partners. Kaesler to take over. The biggest temptation for this acquisition was the opportunity to work with an unprecedented amount of very old vineyards. All vineyards are cultivated according to a 'sustainable viticulture' program. The old vines produce extremely powerful and concentrated wines that are characteristic of the region. It is striking that the style of the wines becomes more refined over the years. This balance between power, concentration, freshness and elegance is perfectly reflected in, for example, the beautiful Shiraz called 'The Bogan'.

The Avignon GSM is a blend of Grenache (46%), Mourvedre (37%), Shiraz (17%) coming from vineyards in the Barossa Valley where the Grenache and Mourvedre vineyards are 85 years or older. The Kaesler Avignon is an elegant version of the popular 'GSM' style (Grenache/Mourvedre/syrah). The wine has an attractive nose with aromas of black fruit (blackberry, cherry) and complex spicy notes (pepper, bay leaf). A wine with character with present but very ripe tannins, elegant body and a complex aftertaste.

93/100 James Suckling