2007 Basket Press Shiraz-Viognier

This wine was produced from low yielding vines from a drought year. The colour is intense purple/red and the wine fuller bodied than last years, with intense blackberry fruit, smoky oak from fine French oak and very fine tannins. The viognier is minimal at 2.5% and provides a subtle floral lift to the aroma and a full round palate, with very good length. An intense Canberra District shiraz.

Reviews

Top Drops, Chris Shanahan, Sunday Canberra Times 1 March 2009

McKellar Ridge Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2007 and Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2007

In a district of small makers, McKellar Ridge is a tiny winemaker, handcrafting batches of wine from Point of View Vineyard, Murrumbateman.  It's not that easy making tiny batches as there's no big pot to tip the mistakes into.  But if winemaker Brian Johnston makes mistakes, it's a well-hidden secret as the quality's been consistently good and the prices modest.  Johnston's latest shiraz viognier's in the taut, fine Canberra style with an assertive vein of spicy oak biting through the very good fruit.  There's nice fruit in the cabernet, too, but it's offset by the grippy tannins of the variety.  They're attractive, elegant wines and should be even better in six to 12 months.