2004 Pretty Sally Cabernet/Shiraz Victoria Australia. $17.99 at Beekmans, Glen Rock.
Deep red color, deep hue, big fruit aroma, unusual for this cool area near the Pretty Sally Hills in my experience, very good fruit tastes with the Cab and Shiraz in good blance, good spice and earth notes, medium mouth feel, a bit oaky which melded well over time, tannins and good acidity in excellent balance, long finish. I enjoyed this wine -- a notch or two below "big". 3*+. Light EGA.
Notes: http://www.prettysally.com .
Varietal: 51% CabSauv, 49% Shiraz
Vintage: April 2004
Vineyard: Pretty Sally Vineyard for Cabernet
Region: Central Victoria and Heathcote, Australia
Barrel Maturation: New French and American Oak Barrels
Pruning: 2.6 tons per acre
Alcohol: 14.1%
Current Production: 4,800 Cases
Bottle size: 750 ml
Release date: June 2006
Soil Type: Rocky fragments in sandy clay foam
Winemaker: John Ellis
Tanzer 90: “Focused nose offers cherry, red currant, rhubarb, and candied licorice. Firm, juicy, and complex, a striking blend of red and dark berry.”
History: The Pretty Sally Hill is apparently named for Sally Smith, a "vast, ill-favoured, good-natured Sally Smith who kept a shanty near the summit until she was crushed under her spring cart in September 1847." Making Their Mark, Susan Priestley, 1984, page 49
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