Bargain Barossa Blend: Veronique Old Vine Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2012

Veronique Old Vine Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2012 (Barossa, SA)
14%, Screwcap, $22

This is a bargain. Little wonder when you realise that the ever-restless (and clever) Dom Torzi has a hand in this wine’s production, making the wine and helping to source fruit.

There’s a nice story behind this label actually, with the Veronique wines originally going to be the product of Peter and Vicki Manning’s property at Mt Mckenzie. Sadly their site was way too hard for grapes, so they enlisted their neighbour – Dom – to help out sourcing grapes.

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A blend of old vine Angaston Grenache, Nurioopta Mataro and Moppa Shiraz, with the Mataro and Grenache cofermented in an open vat, basket pressed to barrel racked off lees and finished in seasoned oak. The Shiraz saw a little more new oak as Dom thought it needed it.

The end result is a delicious, gently ripe style that is black and red fruited with excellent concentration. There is some of the brambly black inkiness seen in the other Veronique wines (they’re seriously thick and viscous) but with that red fruit prettiness on top. Generous, mouthfilling Barossan red that is all about fruit roundness and concentration without oak or excessive extract in the way.

Delicious really, especially when you can pick it up for close to $17 retail.

Source: Sample
Tasted: August 2014
Drink: 2012-2020
Score: 18/20, 93/100
Would I buy it? I’d share a bottle and probably drink most of it. A cold Friday night wine for sure (and very well priced).
Buy online: Dan Murphys, Veronique website