Kellermeister ‘The Pilgrimage’ Cabernet Shiraz 2009
14.5%, Screwcap, $25
Source: Sample
www.kellermeister.com.au

A crap picture of a decent wine. Note the pile of tea-towels in the background – I live a glamorous life

Whilst I think that the Kellermeister wines can be a little oak heavy at times, when they nail the style there is much hearty goodness to be had. This falls into the latter camp with so much rich dense flavours that you half expect this red to be wearing flannel and cutting things up with an axe (hopefully not a body).

Anyways, the pilgrimage reference comes from the fact this is sourced from the Vale, not Kellermeister’s normal Barossa stomping ground. There’s a nice feel-good factor with this wine too, with $5 from every bottle sold at cellar door donated to charity. Generous gesture Kellermeisterers.

Generous wine it is too. Perhaps a little oak heavy but savoury oak, the palate dry and firm and dark chocolatey. It’s a fraction confected initially but that mid palate is properly dry with a chocolate stout coffeed richness to it that is quite delicious, capped off with real tannins.

A thoroughly genuine, meat-and-potatoes red, this looked good on day one and even better on day two. Easy recommendation.

Drink: 2012-2020
Score: 17.7/92
Would I buy it? No, but I have lots of ‘big red’ loving friends who would.