Tait The Wild Ride 2018
The Wild Ride (Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvedre) – (SRP $23) – (15’ 90 WA)(14′ 90 WA)(13′ 92 JS, 90 ST) Barossa Valley. Following the success of Ball Buster, Bruno developed his take on a GSM. After trying unsatisfactorily to produce a wine that was Grenache predominant (as the acronym would suggest), he found more success with a Shiraz based interpretation. The wine is named as it is, in honor of the 4 year struggle to perfect the recipe, and unlike The Ball Buster, has nothing to do with his wife, Michelle.
Rich cherry red color, with concentrated aromas of mulberry, spice, rosemary and earthiness with hints of vanilla that jump from the glass. The palate is rich showing ripe and rich fruit, great length and a velvety soft lingering finish.
91 points – Josh Raynolds: “Deep, shimmering garnet. Aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, baking spices and mocha, with a smoky nuance emerging as the wine opens up. Pliant and lively in the mouth, offering juicy raspberry and boysenberry flavors and repeating spiciness. In an ample, fruit-driven style, with subtle tannins lending shape to the persistent finish.”
The grapes used to make up the 2018 Wild Ride are sourced from a three different vineyard sites located throughout the Barossa – approx. age 20-80 years. The Wild Ride is a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro/Mourvedre – a “SGM”. The differing vineyard sites and grape varieties adds to the multiple characters and layers of the Wild Ride blend. All grapes are picked when physiologically ripe to obtain peak ripeness in terms of sugar and flavor. The grapes are de-stemmed into open fermenters, pH is adjusted and fermentation takes place over 7 days at a temperature of approx. 24 degrees centigrade. All components are kept separate. Plunging and/or pumping over takes place 3 times a day. The wine is then pressed using a traditional basket press. Maturation occurs in barrel for 18 months (in a combination of older French and American oak). Assemblage is done at the 18 month mark and finished blend is racked back into barrels to settle and come together for 6 more months. Bottling is done without filtration or fining.
