Bete Noir

2018 Tasting Notes

2018 Bete Noir is a blend a selected Shiraz wines made from six vineyards growing in sub regions located around the periphery of the Barossa , Moppa, Moculta, Eden Valley, High Eden, Bethany and the Eastern Foothills.  the extreme north west corner of the Barossa Valley is a small, old vineyard. Vineyard ages range from between 25  and 125 years –  65 years being a fair average across the blend.

All fruit was hand harvested. The proportion of whole clusters retained in the fermementations  varied from between 15% and 45%, equating to about 35 % in the final blend.  Vinified with indigenous yeasts, macerations ranged from between 10 and 30 days prior to pressing and elevage on light lees in French oak barrels, 20% new, in a range of sizes from 225 through to 2500 L.   Bottled  20 months after harvest.    Unfixed and unfiltered. Vegan friendly.

Deep, dark ruby

A perfumed, dark fruited and multi-layered Barossa Valley Shiraz.    Deep, complex aromas of dark plum, ripe mullberry and confit cherry are overlain with a fine veneer of dried herb, brown cardamom, carbide and fresh leather.

Bright, very deep garnet, black core.

Youthful, full bodied palate, richly tannic, velvety and long.   Strong dried black currant and dark cherry flavours on attack are framed with discreet notes wood ash, clove and warm loamy notes.   Soft, ripe fruit acids are present but the wine is driven by rich, weighty, mature fruit tannins that deliver texture and freshness.

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2015 Tasting Notes

Barossa Valley

The 2015 Bête is a blend from seven vineyards located across a variety of Barossa’s sub regions, with the Eastern foothills, Moppa, Moculta, and the Eden Valley all contributing. Vineyard age ranges between 25 and 120 years, with 60 years being a fair average across the blend.

2015 gifts a Bête Noir of lovely purity of fruit and freshness. It’s refined, medium-bodied, detailed and aromatic, with a spectrum of both “noir” and red fruits, with an undercurrent of aromatic spice and herb elements. The palate is carried by a strong, yet supple, core of fleshy, plummy fruit, bitter chocolatey-like tannins and refreshing ripe acidity.

All fruit was hand harvested. The proportion of whole clusters varied from “everything to nothing” depending on the vineyard, with roughly 35% in the final blended cuvée. Vinified with indigenous yeast fermentation, élevage on lees in new (25%) and seasoned French oak barrels ranging in capacity from 225 litre to 2,500 litre for 20 months prior to bottling without filtration.

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2013 Tasting Notes

Purple hued magenta

The 2013 Bete Noir displays dark, deeper aromatics of coffee bean, sage, iodine, and brazil nut are framed by higher-toned notes of fresh rosemary, blackberry and ripe raspberry. Multi -layered and savory.

Potent herb infused fruit on attack. Spiced red plum, cherry and sage flavors with a saline edge are carried on mid-weight frame of strong black tea-like tannin. Barossa Shiraz with even temper – displays fleshy, dark and generous fruit measured by ripe acids and drying tannin.

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2012 Tasting Notes

Purple hued magenta, almost black to the core

The 2012 Bete Noir displays dark, deeper aromatics of cassis, black berry, suede, dried porcini and petrocorp are framed by higher toned pepper, ground woody spice and lifted red fruit florals. Multi-layered, varietally definitive.

Potent and focused herb infused fruit on attack. Blue berry, spiced red plum and cherry flavours are carried on lightly sappy, sanguine tannins that drive a largely unresolved palate to a dark, bituminous finish.

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2010 Tasting Notes

Sourced from higher altitude vineyards in the Barossa and Eden Valleys ranging from 15 to 105 years of age. As with all Spinifex wines, fruit was hand harvested and naturally fermented as de-stemmed berries and whole bunch clusters for between 8 and 21 days prior to maturation in a range of new (approximately 20%) and seasoned oak barrels and vats of sizes varying from 225L to 3000L.

Bright, dark ruby hued. A dark, savory and restrained expression of Barossa Shiraz. Aromatically dark and complex – spicy blueberry, blackberry, sour plum and sweet earthy beetroot fruit is meshed with indian ink, leather, cedar, wood char and roasted nut notes. Higher toned whole bunch derived notes reminiscent of cardamom and violets.

At this stage in its development and on first opening reserved on the palate – dense, masculine, with lively blue fruit, fresh and bright fruit acids. Pure and focused fruit on a mid-weight frame – has intensity and power without being rich or heavy.