Elderton Ode to Lorraine Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2018

The winemaking team at Elderton believe this is truly the hidden gem in the Elderton portfolio of premium reds. A Cabernet/Shiraz/Merlot blend was added to our portfolio from the 1992 vintage. It was a belief that through blending only the best parcels of fruit from the Elderton vineyard, a truly wondrous and complete wine could be made that showed the highlights of the three grape varieties.

The decision was made from the 2002 vintage onwards for the wine to be renamed (from CSM) in honour of co-founder of Elderton Wines, Lorraine Ashmead. This wine is dedicated to a woman who is greatly admired in the Barossa for her passion, dedication and commitment to not only Elderton, but to all the wondrous things our beautiful valley produces.

Estate grown on the Nuriootpa vineyard, with deep alluvial silt over red and brown earths and limestone. The fruit is sourced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot blocks planted between 1970 and 2014.

“Wines from 2018 speak of the ease with which the vintage rolled! Sufficient winter rains and a temperate spring allowed for even budburst and steady ripening across all varieties, with Shiraz ripening a little earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot coming up somewhere in the middle. We love this classic blend with the Cabernet Sauvignon bringing a fresh leafy note and Shiraz with it’s depth of flavour. Merlot finds a way into this blend as it has traditionally been a part of the Nuriootpa estate vineyard. It also helps to bring together the Cabernet and Shiraz, resulting in a seamless integrated wine worthy of aging, whilst still very approachable in its youth. The components for this blend are matured in new and seasoned French oak, allowing for subtle warm spice notes whilst not overwhelming the fruit balance with oak.” - Jules Ashmead and Brock Harrison