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2012 John Duval Plexusproduct-timed-pdf - , - 95pts - James Halliday "Masterful blend"

Why We're Drinking It

From the estimable winemaker whose prowess put ’ Grange on the map, this is a Shiraz-based blend graced with 95 points by James Haliday and hailed as “one of the most luxurious wines to ever come out of Australia,” by our wide-eyed Tasting Panel. Aussie to the core, it’s vibrantly acidic, long and layered with complex notes of aromatic red fruits, herbs, white pepper, oak, and earth. A hard-to-find gem worthy of another few years in the cellar, it’s nonetheless a wine that’s hard to resist drinking today – especially for Members with 30% off retail.

Things to Know:

• A GSM for Pinot Lovers: the International Wine Cellar praised its likable “pinot-like focus and texture," which is chock full of concentrated, vibrant raspberry, strawberry, herb, spice flavors. Pinotphiles, get ready to fall in love.

• Iconic Winemaker, John Duval: One of his consulting-client wineries says that “few winemakers are as synonymous with the iconic wines of a country as he.” Making wines critics call “outstanding examples of what Australia should be making,” he’s the third winemaker to ever produce Penfolds’ flagship Grange, the successor to the equally legendary winemakers Max Schubert and Don Ditter.

• Old Vine Glory: Growing fruit in the iconic Marananga, Krondorf, and Light Pass regions of Australia, from the half-century-old Australian vines, the results are what our Panel calls “wines that offer everything you’d want from Oz’s most famed wine region,” a Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvedre blend with rich roundness, ripe red fruit, and soft tannins.

This was the wine with which he kicked off his new enterprise a decade ago, a Rhone-style blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre. From one of the best vintage in living memory, it has both power and elegance and is approachable now while being cellar worthy.

Tasting Notes

VARIETAL Crimson purple-red. An array of red and black berry aromatics, wild berries Rhone Blend and cassis. Generous, with soft texture and fine tannins. Flavours of APPELLATION blackberry and dark cherry with hints of asian spice and Christmas cake. Barossa Valley, Australia ALCOHOL 14.50 Fifteen months in French oak have added structure and texture to the SIZE blackberry and spice notes and the end results taste like a wine that should 750ml command at least twice the retail price. PH 3.5100 TA 6.4000 BLEND Rhone Blend

The Story to Know

After 29 years as a winemaker with Penfolds, one of Australia's most famous wineries, Duval started his own wine label in 2003. He graduated in agriculture and winemaking in 1973 at Adelaide University and then following in the footsteps of some of the greats of Australian winemaking such as Max Schubert, the creator of Penfolds Grange and Don Ditter, another famous Penfolds winemaker of the 1970s and early '80s.

There was a family precedent to all of this - the Duval family had for many years run a world famous sheep stud and quality vineyards south of Adelaide, coincidentally supplying Shiraz grapes and vine cuttings to Penfolds. So he wasn't exactly a newcomer to wine.

Duval was appointed Chief Winemaker at Penfolds in 1986 and was lucky enough to oversee one of the most dynamic periods of change in the industry. With the support of the team in the Barossa, he secured a number of awards for the company - Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London in 1989; Red Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London in 1991 and again in 2000; and seeing the 1990 Penfolds Grange named the Wine of the Year by the prestigious US magazine Wine Spectator in 1995.

Since leaving Penfolds he has consulted to a number of international wine companies in Europe, South America and Australia and is a vintner partner in the Long Shadows venture in Washington State.

About 'Plexus,' from Winemaker John Duval: My aim with Plexus is to express the wide spectrum of red fruit flavours from Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre, but also provide structure with a seamless balance and long finish. Traditional, low intervention winemaking techniques are employed with Plexus, allowing the wine to be approachable in its youth, but also have great cellaring potential for improvement in the bottle for at least 8-10 years.

Perfect Pairings

Pair this Australian GSM with bold flavors--bacon wrapped filet mignon, herb crusted rack of lamb, or smoky barbecue.

Ratings

95 Points- James Halliday 93 Insider Points 92 Points -Tanzer's IWC 95 Poiints - The Sydney Morning Herald

Reviews

"Textbook Aussie Rhone! Liquored black rapsberries combines with chocolate and mint on the nose. Massive and gorgeous at the same time. A Rhone blend on steroids that is so juicy with an impressive glycerol feel. Swirls of sweet black and blue fruit linger on the back of the palate. Leather, crushed rocks and graphite add in the seasoning department. This will taste better the next day after being opened and will hold for another five years in the cellar. The opulence and concentration suggest a SGM in the $40 to $60 range. John Duvall shows his masterful blending once again with this new Plexus release." - Neil Mechanic, invino Premier Member Concierge

“Armed with flavour and dangerously drinkable. Red and black berries, ground Asian spice, earth, aniseed and quick kiss of cedary French oak. Puts on an impeccable performance.” James Halliday, 2015 The Wine Companion

“Deep Ruby. Complex aromas of red and dark berries, pipe tobacco, peppery spices and fresh flowers. Juicy and precise on the palate, offering sweet black raspberry and cherry compote flavours that flesh out and become spicier with air. Tightens back up on the long, incisive finish, which is firmed by dusty, fine-grained tannins, This wine saw only 10% new French oak.”- Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar August 2014

“The former Penfolds chief winemaker hasn’t put a foot wrong since launching his own label in 2003. His reds are his strength, reflecting his Barossa Valley base. Plexus is usually the most charming and approachable of his reds in its youth, and 2012 is a top vintage. The aromas are attractively spicy, clean and fresh, while the palate is intense and well-balanced, with soft tannins and spicy re-fruit flavours. There are hints of aniseed and plum. The texture is smooth and fleshy; it’s medium to full-bodied and deliciously drinkable despite its youth. Enjoy now to 15 years.” Huon Hooke The Sydney Morning Herald July 2014