This is a dark brooding wine, displaying super ripe plums, cherries, notes of burnt caramel, cracked black pepper, and vanillin expressions from the American oak on the nose. The palate is classic Casey’s, with an explosion of dark ripe fruit and vanilla oak which is then contained in the embrace of a fine line of silken oak tannins that travels down the length of the palate complemented by lovely savoury notes and fine acidity.
The sub region of Moppa lies at the northern most tip of the Barossa Valley’s western edge. The undulating landscape is rich with ancient stone and red/ brown loams, mirroring the profile and geological diversity of our vineyards at Marananga and Seppeltsfield. Together, these three estates now form the foundation of our winemaking masterplan.
Sourced from a vineyard block planted in rich brown loam soils scattered with quartz, lying over a vein of ancient iron, marble and blue stone. Positioned at one of the highest elevations in the Barossa Valley at 300 – 340 meters above sea level, the site produces fragrant wines of rich flavour and great structure.
Pre-veraison conditions were hot and very dry, with high winds at flowering decimating yields to an all time low. Good rains at the end of January, and cooler than average ripening and harvest conditions produced a very low yield of small berried fruit, producing intensely flavoured wines with firm tannin lines.
The fruit was harvested in early March, then destemmed and fermented for 6 – 7 days in open slate fermenters. The wine was matured in 20% new French oak and the balance seasoned American oak for 20 months.
An opulent nose of ripe blueberry, blackberry and black cherry fruits leads to a succulent, flavoursome palate with terrific fruit richness and supple, silky tannin. True to its Moppa sub region origins and the epitome of the Greenock Creek style, the wine shows hearty, robust dark fruit flavours. This is nuanced with savoury and chocolate elements along with a distinctive spiced rum character on the finish. Matured in 15% new and a balance of seasoned French and American oak hogsheads.
