Taste of the Grampians
Unique Grampians Winemakers Barrique Reserve Shiraz goes to auction on April 30 at the Grampians Grape Escape
Wine-lovers are gearing up for the 24th annual Grampians Winemakers Barrique Reserve Shiraz auction to be held at 2pm, Saturday 30 April at the Grampians Grape Escape festival in Halls Gap.
With only 225 litres of the 2014 vintage up grabs (one barrique), the unique blend of Grampians Winemakers Shiraz is sure to be hotly contested.
Best’s winemaker, Justin Purser was the man in-charge of the 2014 Shiraz blend that includes wine from Montara, Best’s Great Western, Seppelt, Grampians Estate, Mount Langi Ghiran, AT Richardson wines and Clarnette & Ludvigsen.
Justin describes the wine as, “Vibrant dark red. Black olive gives way to fragrant spices, blue fruits and cool mint with subtle oak. Cool red and blue fruit flavours on the palate held by a fine line and length through the palate.”
At a recent back-vintage tasting (2003-2014) of the Grampians Winemakers Reserve Shiraz with wine critics in Melbourne the 2014 vintage was a sure-fire stand out.
Each year producers from the Grampians region donate a quantity of their own Shiraz wine from the previous year’s vintage to produce a unique Barrique of Grampians Reserve Shiraz which is auctioned during the first day of the Grampians Grape Escape festival weekend.
The idea behind the Barrique was first conceived amid plans for the inaugural Grampians Wine and Food Festival in 1991 and was masterminded by internationally known Grampians Winemakers Viv Thomson of Best’s Wines, Ian McKenzie formerly of Seppelt, Great Western and the late Trevor Mast, formerly of Mount Langi Ghiran.
The month-long Grampians Grape Escape is one of regional Australia’s longest running wine and food festivals and will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1 May 2016 in Halls Gap.
This year’s festival expects to draw more than 10,000 foodies of all ages to indulge in the offerings of over 100 artisans and be entertained by headline chef, Miguel Maestre and headline music artist, Kate Ceberano.
For 25 years during autumn, wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs from around the country have flocked to Halls Gap in the heart of the beautiful Grampians National Park in Western Victoria to attend the Grampians Grape Escape Wine and Food Festival.
The Barrique will be auctioned in various lots on Saturday 30th April commencing 2.00 pm at the Halls Gap Village Oval. Bidders will be able to taste the wine on the day of auction.
