2004 Butchers Block Red

The Butchers Block is a traditional Barossa blend made with grapes selected from the Turkey Flat vineyards, including some from the original old vine plantings.  It is a blend of Mourvédre (Mataro) and Grenache, with the proportions of each variety varying from vintage to vintage.  The 2004 vintage of Butchers Block is a blend of 95% Mourvédre and 5% Grenache. 

Both varietal components of this wine were vinified separately in open fermenters and subsequently aged in both hogsheads and larger format French oak for approximately 18 months.  The result is a warm, complex, earthy full-bodied red with seamless oak integration. 

The nose has hints of spicy rhubarb and juniper berries with some gaminess. The palate shows sweet lifted fruits with a hint licorice and creamy vanillin oak character. 
The tannin structure is long and restrained with a grainy finish, typical of Mourvédre.