Barr-Eden Estate Love Over Gold Shiraz 2018

“Love is an emotion that can be felt for an eternity. Gold is just material.”

Barr-Eden Estate is a storied piece of land situated at the crest of Mengler’s Hill, one of the highest points of viticulture in Australia. Well-known grape-grower Joel Mattschoss first acquired fruit from the site, which sits atop the ancient goldfields of the Eden, in 2014, to produce the first small batch Love Over Gold wine with Frenchman Pierre-Henri Morel. After the passing of the estate’s owner, Barossa icon, Bob McLean, in 2015, a venture began between the two, along with friends Michael Twelftree and Tim Hower, to become the new custodians of this special property of great pedigree.

The vines at Barr-Eden Estate were planted in 1928 and 2018 is turning out as an excellent Eden Valley Vintage. The bunches are formed with a long framework and very loose clusters and picked at optimum ripeness. Bunch thinning manages low yields and high quality fruit. Coming from a 95-year-old vineyard, the old vines are able to withstand heat spikes, as well as its elevation which brings cooler night temperatures. Destemmed by hand, berry by berry and fermented slowly over weeks. Ten percent whole-bunch Gentle pigeage was performed twice daily with the natural ferment progressing at a cool temperature. Once ferment was complete and after 24 days, free run was drained to a 2 year old extra tight grained French puncheon. 

Love Over Gold possesses a core of ripe and defined fruit with tannins that are coating and very long, it will age effortlessly over 20 to 25 years.  

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Shiraz
Country - Australia
Region - Eden Valley, South Australia
Vintage - 2018
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%