"A very special wine in honour of sixth-generation winemaker Christopher Killeen. He was called “The Prince of Vintage Fortified” in the wine industry for his skill and passion in making his own unique Australian style of Vintage Fortified. Each year, we take the best fruit from the Portuguese varieties he planted in the 1990s, co-ferment for optimum results and use the best French oak to create a savoury, elegant and age-worthy dry table wine. It's only released in the best years." - Wendy Killeen
“Comprising 42% Tinta Roriz, 30% Touriga Nacional, 22% Tinta Cao and 6% Tinta Barroca for the new named Iberian blend, once known as the Reserva but still the tribute wine to Chris Killeen. While it has plenty of fragrance and flavour from red fruits, licorice, tar and a dusting of warm earth, it has composure - it's not too big. A pleasure to drink."- Jane Faulkner for 2021 Halliday Wine Companion
SIZE: 750ML ALC/VOL: 14% VEGAN FRIENDLY: YES
Awards
2021 Halliday Companion - 95 points
Grape - Estate Grown blend of 42% Tinta Roriz, 30% Touriga Nacional, 22% Tinto Cão, and 6% Tinta Barroca.
Look - Vibrant cherry red with a purple tinge
Aroma - The nose opens with bright fresh fruit and exotic perfumes moving to herbs & spices
Taste - Its medium body opens with an intriguing nose of fresh red fruits and exotic perfume. The palate has layers of complexity with cherry and wild berry flavours, finishing long with silky tannins.
Occasion - Enjoy with grilled meats or vegetables as well as high quality, delicate choices like eye fillet or cutlets. Superb with seafood paella or a charcuterie board.
Cellaring - It’s incredibly fresh and floral as a young wine but will develop further complexity with careful cellaring up to 2028.
Winemaking - The later-ripening Portuguese varieties were co-fermented to add complexity to the nose and palate. After previous trials, we believe this method (as opposed to blending) produces a more integrated wine. The wine was fermented in our open-top vats with hand-plunging and then transferred to 35% new and 65% one- and two-year-old French puncheons for 11 months maturation. The larger barrel size and a long slow toast regime deliver a subtle spiciness that marries beautifully with the richness of the fruit. We also added some Touriga & Tinta Roriz that had been fermented separately to add complexity to the final blend.
