Wines - Black Guts

Details

Variety
Shiraz
Current Release
2009
First Vintage
1997
Price
$85.00 per bottle
 
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The Rusden Vineyard is nestled on the deep Vine Vale sand in the foothills below the eastern Barossa Ranges. The early pioneers carved this area out of cypress, blue gum and wattle woodland, once know as Bethany Sandscrub. Our old vines are traditionally cared for and hand tended to ensure their longevity and benefit for future generations. A minimalist approach to winemaking results in an honest representation of the variety. This is a New World wine made in an Old World style to produce a fruit driven wine with dimension, character and balance.

Tasting Notes

> 2009 Tasting Notes

Another vintage where it paid not to react to the weather too early. A mid-march heat spell of 37-42 degrees Celsius for seven days caused a few to panic around the valley and start picking Shiraz too early. Thankfully the weather soon settled down (it couldn’t happen two years in row!) which allowed the fruit flavours to catch up to the high sugar levels in the grapes, which made way for prime Shiraz intake over about three weeks in the vintage shed. The result was some very powerful and diverse batches of Shiraz in barrel which has added to the complexity of this years Black Guts. It is the first in a double of great Barossa vintages and a must have for the cellar. It’s drinking incredibly well early on too (most hotter vintages do!) but it also has the structure to age for well over a decade or more. Undeniably a stand out wine for this release.

> 2008 Tasting Notes

Unfortunately, I had to discard a couple of parcels of fruit that went a bit too far in the heat wave that year. Most of the grapes came off before and during the first week of the heat. The result is an incredibly complex Shiraz. It’s got a really beautiful lifted nose of white pepper, violets and dark berry fruit. The palate is complex and big but balanced and really light on its feet. The 08 Black Guts really dances from the glass and over your tongue, but it lingers on and on. Silky smooth Shiraz.

> 2007 Tasting Notes

Most wineries came out of the blocks early in 2007 and it took real determination not to follow the Pied Piper’s rats over the cliff and start picking to early.. Initially a hot vintage, grapes had sugar ripeness, but had no flavour. Just when most growers in the Barossa had finished picking, we had 2 inches of rain, after which sugar levels dropped. Then we got 8 weeks of perfect ripening weather which allowed the grapes to ripen fully and develop the colour and flavour we were looking for. Black Guts this year is intriguing. It smells pretty and aromatic, with white pepper and violets, the palate is rich and generous. It is a big, juicy number, well poised, and seductive.

> 2006 Tasting Notes

Having the Black Guts in your cellar is like having Pharlap in your stable. It is an absolute honour to deliver this wine every year as it never falls short of fulfilling my expectations. It comes out fighting every year and never finishes second.