Terre à Terre Crayères Vineyard Cabernet Shiraz 2022

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Time and time again, it is the tannin profile in fruit off the Crayères Vineyard in Wrattonbully – with soils and geology dating back 35 million years – that both delights and, occasionally, astounds. Tannins – invariably naturally integrated – help so much to give the wines a sense of place and presence, but always remain a bit of a background note for both drinkers and critics, alike. That, in itself, says a lot. So, take it as read, that the tannin profile adds that X Factor to this wine (and its score). Cabernet Sauvignon (57%) and Shiraz (43%) go head to head and it makes for something a little savoury, a little minerally, a little earthy and generous in flavour. Dark fruited, spice-fuelled with chocolate and notes of earth and leather roll across the tongue effortlessly. It’s both warm and friendly but also structured. Those tannins together with the grapes’ natural acidity – the springs and gears of the wine – looking good. Shines bright now, but neither will it dim over the next 10 years or more.

Jeni Port
Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic
Pilot
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