Berton Vineyards are a family owned and run winery in the heart of the Riverina growing area in Australia. The team is small but very powerful and is fronted by Bob Berton the winemaker with his colleague Paul Bartholomeus. They have lovingly created a selection of fantastic wines which include The Black Shiraz, this is an espresso of a wine coming in at 15% alcohol. The great thing about this wine and its sister wine, The Head Over Heels Black Shiraz, is that although high in alcohol, it does not give you the usual alcohol burn that is often associated with high strength Shiraz wines.
Established by Bob & Cherie Berton in May 1996 with 75 acres. The heart of Berton Vineyards is their own personal plot in a sub-region of Eden Valley in South Australia. This idyllic property sits at 450m above sea level on gently rolling hills - except for the Chardonnay block which is anything but gentle!!
The first vines were planted in that spring - ten acres of Shiraz and seven acres of Chardonnay - but without any permanent water. It was not until 1998, after the new dam was filled, that the vines finally had a decent drink!!!
With all this, the vines struggled through their impressionable years. Lots of love and attention, but the lack of water really retarded their growth, so much so that a Swedish friend jokingly told them that they had planted a bonsai vineyard....the name stuck and later became the name of their premium Shiraz. With the good rainfall in High Eden, the vines are in great condition these days, but they still remember the early days every time they open a bottle of the Bonsai.
After the dam was full they were able to follow on and plant Cabernet Sauvignon and lastly some Sauvignon Blanc. The Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are now growing happily amongst big white rocks on ancient podsolic soils - which really makes driving trellis posts interesting, but that's another story!!!!
THE BLACK SHIRAZ
Grapes: 100% Shiraz
Region: South Australia
Taste: Intense colour, huge palate and high in alcohol, it displays vanilla, ripe plums and black cherries on the nose. The palate shows intense berry and rich fruit cake characters underpinned by layers of coffee and toasty oak that carry through to a lovely soft finish. A big wine at a mere 14.5% alcohol!
Serve: The perfect choice for rich, spicy -especially peppery- dishes. Steak au poivre, full flavoured game casseroles, beef sausages and Chilli con Carne are all great food matches. Ethnic dishes such as Shami kebab, Szechuan beef and Teriyaki dishes all work well. Also perfect with strong cheeses or simply enjoy anytime!
The Black Shiraz
This fantastic wine is available at http://www.wineman.co.uk from Kevin O'Rourke Wines
Kevin O'Rourke is an independent wine merchant based in Milton Keynes, England. He has worked in the drinks industry for his entire life having been dragged up in hotels and pubs. He continues to retail wine through organised tastings and through his website http://www.wineman.co.uk where he helps many people to find their ideal wine.
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