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2007 Tasting Notes

2008 Willowbend

Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

WillowBend is where it all started for us. Way back in 1990, Ken and I put our first red blend of Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet together and packaged it under what was then the WillowBend brand. Since then our brand has changed to Dutschke, but WillowBend has continued on as our blended red wine.

Our idea has always been to produce a consistently full and flavoursome wine by blending the varieties that perform best on our "St. Jakobi" family vineyard, the property purchased by my grandfather Oscar Semmler in the 1930s. The Shiraz (53%), Cabernet (27%) and Merlot (20%) come together to provide a ripe soft red berry fruit palate and with fine oak and fruit tannin support that allows the wine to be enjoyed as a younger wine, but also has the structure needed for medium to long term cellaring.

After years in the bottle our older "WillowBend" blends have also shown great complex characters while still maintaining their fresh fruit flavours. WillowBend is typically a great wine to drink now, but will also benefit further by lying it down for a few years to complex. We trust you'll enjoy it!

More Information

Winemaker:
Wayne Dutschke
Vineyard:
Ken Semmler's St. Jakobi Vineyard
Region:
Lyndoch, Barossa Valley, South Australia
Harvest Date:
Shiraz 18th and 25th February, Cabernet Sauvignon 4th and 7th March and Merlot 3rd March 2008
Varietal Percentages:
53% Shiraz, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot
Alcohol:
14.7%
Oak Maturaton:
18 months in New and Older American & French Hogsheads
Cellaring potential:
Drink now to 2018

Scores

“It almost has a custard-like sweetness but boy-o-boy, is this baby smooth! This is jam-packed with gorgeous fruit and oak flavor. Blackberry jam, raspberries, tar, earth and coffee beans. Creamy oak slides over the top and wraps it all into a delicious package. Superb winter drinking, in the old-fashioned big-red style. - 92pts

- Campbell Mattinson/Gary Walsh (The Big Red Wine Book)

“The shiraz component seems more obvious than usual in this rich, ripe wine, flooded with plum and blackberry fruit, the finish quite soft - 89pts

- James Halliday Wine Companion 2011

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