Review: Terre à Terre Crayeres Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2018

Terre à Terre Crayeres Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2016

August 26, 2020

Review: Terre à Terre Crayeres Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2018

This year, Xavier Bizot & Lucy Croser have made the decision to rationalise the Terre à Terre range to a trio of red blends (and a Sauvignon Blanc). This Terre à Terre Crayeres Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2018 is, for mine, the best-balanced wine under the label yet.

A blend of 62% Cabernet, 27% Shiraz and 1% Cab Franc that tastes remarkably different to the wines before it. Brighter, cooler and more even-handed. The oak is a vanilla bean presence throughout (21% new oak) but it is a presence rather than a dominant factor. A real joyousness to the fruit and lovely tannins though – Wrattonbully is meant to be classy and bright like this. Potential unlocked.

Best drinking: I’d wait a few years really. Maybe 5. Then it will drink well for twenty plus, especially under screwcap. 18.5/20, 94/100. 14.5%, $50. Terre à Terre website. Would I buy it? I’ll take a bottle thanks.

2016, Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz + Blends, Top Wine, Wrattonbully

Andrew Graham was once voted the 23rd most trusted wine critic on the planet. A WCA Journalism Young Gun now old hack with 25yrs as a buyer, judge, journalist, marketer and too much more.

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2 responses to “Review: Terre à Terre Crayeres Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2018”

Colin

August 26, 2020 at 8:00 am

Hi Andrew,
How difficult is it for a winemaker to get their wines in to retail land?
I’m sure they want to, but I continually get the impression its quite a battle, so they resign themselves to Cellar Door sales only.
I continually read reviews (sorry not just in these parts) and think, I’ll grab a bottle of that and give it a try. Only to find its not available in retail land, and most distributors I’ve spoken to in my pursuit don’t even know they’re the distributor!!!
Id just like to walk into a retail outlet, any retail outlet, and buy a bottle of the reviewed wine….just one bottle.
Thoughts??Solutions??

Regards

Colin

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Andrew Graham

August 26, 2020 at 8:31 am

It’s a massive battle. For small wine producers, it’s especially hard to get in to see key decision-makers at retail without a distributor. Yet there are very few good distributors, which throws up a bigger hurdle. Plus distributors take up to 30% so it’s a margin call too. Ultimately, buying direct ends up more profitable and for many its easier!

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