The 2021 Kalleske Eduard Shiraz showcases a deep, inky black colour and a rich purple rim. Its aroma is an alluring and classic representation of old vine Shiraz, with prominent notes of ripe blackberry, stewed plums, tiramisu, cedar polish, smoked meats, and nutty oak. On the palate, this full-bodied wine is concentrated and hefty, with dark fruit flavours that leave a lasting impression. The tannins provide a chewy structure and delicate grip, balancing out the plush richness. The wine has a perfectly balanced acidity that keeps it fresh and uplifted, while the mocha oak adds another layer of complexity to the already intense fruit. The weight and length of the finish are impressive.
Eduard can be enjoyed now but will graciously reward cellaring for a decade or more.
“Deep set blackberry, black cherry and dark plum fruits with some blueberry lift and layers of baking spices at its base. Some pastille tones, too, with hints of roasting meats, grilled figs, licorice, dark chocolate, blackforest cake, brandied fruits and earth. Full bodied with a lovely flow of fruit, finely crushed rock tannins and plenty of bright energy as it sails off all cassis-y and thick-shouldered” 96 Points - Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion, 28 October 2024
In 1838 Karl Heinrich ‘Eduard’ Kalleske and his three siblings together with their parents Johann Georg and Johanne Dorothea migrated from Prussia. They landed in the newly established colony of South Australia and in 1853 they settled at Greenock in the North-Western Barossa Valley and established the Kalleske farm. Eduard and his wife Anna ‘Rosina’ worked the Kalleske vineyard until the 1880s when their son took over the reins.
Today, six generations later those old vines are still prospering, thanks to the foresight and hard work of their ancestors. Kalleske dedicate this wine to Eduard which is from a selection of old vine Shiraz vineyards planted on our Kalleske property between 1905 to 1971. Hand winemaking and two years maturation has resulted in a stunning old vine wine destined for long term cellaring.
Eduard is sourced from three vineyard blocks on the Kalleske property that were planted between 1905 and 1971, Vines are dry grown and produce low yields. The soil is sandy loam with excellent clay subsoil.
Vintage 2021 was an exemplary year with fine wines and good yields. Growing season rainfall was marginally below average and temperatures were mild ensuring vine canopies remained healthy. Vintage weather was absolutely perfect throughout, with dry mild-warm days and cool nights ensuring even and steady ripening across all varieties. There is strong colour and flavour across all the reds along with excellent structure and balance whilst the whites are bright, fresh and elegant.
The old Shiraz vines were harvested on March 7th and March 19th and the grapes de-stemmed into small open top fermenters. The grapes were fermented for 8-11 days on skins where hand pump overs were employed twice daily. The must was traditionally pressed and immediately filled to new and seasoned French & American oak hogsheads where it completed fermentation. The wine was matured for two years prior to bottling.
