Description

PRODUCER:
Established by Bob and Cherie Berton in May 1996, Berton Vineyard is one of Hallgarten’s most important partners. The estate covers 30 hectares of land on gently rolling hills at 450 metres above sea level, in the Eden Valley subregion of South Australia. The superb Reserve Shiraz and Reserve Chardonnay wines are still sourced from this plot. In 2007, Bob purchased the Yenda winery in the heart of the Riverina. This state-of-the-art facility has the capacity to process 20,000 tonnes and enables Berton Vineyard to produce value-for-money wines that sit alongside their premium single-vineyard offerings.

VINEYARD:
The grapes come from the Barossa, in South Australia and the Eden Valley. Situated at a latitude of 34° South, the Barossa region is made up of rolling hills and valley floors. The growing season often sees hot, warm weather with temperatures of 35°C, which can result in vine stress, helping to concentrate the flavours in the berries. The wide diurnal temperature differences help to retain balancing acidity. Some of the grapes come from Berton’s original vineyard in the Eden Valley, where the climate is cooler. The vine age is varied, but all vines have been spur pruned and are generally trained on a single wire cordon trellising system. The soil styles in the vineyards are varied, ranging from clay to limestone and sandy soils, with each terroir adding its own characteristic.

WINEMAKING:
Fermentation took place in stainless Ganimede fermenters for eight days between 25 and 28 °C. Each parcel was pressed at 0.5 Baumé through a bag press into stainless steel tanks. Each parcel was clarified via centrifuge and then transferred to new and used French and American oak barrels for approximately 12 months. A barrel selection took place of the best parcels, with blending over several days, ultimately arriving in this rich, spicy and complex blend.

TASTING NOTE:
The aromas are powerful and complex, encapsulating a wealth of ripe black cherries, blackberries with subtle hints of white pepper and spice. The rich and harmonious palate delivers soft flavours of plum and cherry notes, underpinned by toasty oak and velvety chocolate. Silky tannins lead to a long, persistent finish.

GRAPES:
Shiraz 100%.