Dandelion Vineyards, `Red Queen of the Eden Valley` Shiraz

Origin

South Australia

The Red Queen of the Eden Valley vineyard is owned and managed by Vigneron Colin Kroehn and was 101 years old in vintage 2012. These ancient, gnarled vines are not only surviving but thriving on their own roots in some of the oldest soils on the planet.

Whole bunches of ripe Shiraz grapes were hand harvested, then two thirds of the grapes were gently crushed over a third of whole bunch fruit and naturally fermented in open fermenters for 11 days, hand plunged three times a day, before careful basket pressing French oak barriques (50% new, 50% one year old), to complete fermentation. After two and a half years maturation and a racking in the same oak, the wine was bottled.

Producer

Dandelion Vineyards is the venture of self-titled ‘typist’ Zar Brooks and his winemaking wife Elena, with wines made from the Barossa and Eden Valleys, Fleurieu, the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale.

Their wines represent decades of experience, blending the fruit of their heirloom vineyards with the finest traditions of artisan winemaking. Dandelion Vineyards is a combination of old vineyards, a young winemaker, and a couple of mates to help out in-between, which they believe makes for the ideal winery.

Grape Variety

100% Shiraz

Alcohol Percentage

14.5%

In the Press

Decanter World Wide Wines 2022 – Silver

International Wine Challenge 2022 – Silver