Vintage
2018
ABV
14.5%
Wine Type
Red
Wine Style
Still
Wine Description
The exceptional 2018 vintage provided us
outstanding fruit quality, great colour, varietal
character, ripe tannins and length of flavour.
For this our twenty second Petit Verdot release
we selected fruit from the Siberia, Eric’s, OTC,
Jones and Katunga vineyards, each block
providing its own distinctive profile. The wine
has a lifted bouquet of black cherry, violets,
pink plum and musk, enhanced by hints of
cedary oak. With the concentrated palate
exhibiting spicy blackberry, boysenberry, red
currant and tangy Morello cherry,
complemented by hints of Kalamata olive. The
fine grain textured tannins, subtle oak and
savoury varietal flavours are beautifully
integrated in a long-sustained finish.
Accolades
95 Points Wine Orbit, SIVER AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge 2021, 90 Points Wine Pilot
Winemaker's Bio
Now in the capable hands of Geoff Johnston, a winemaking graduate of Charles Sturt University and grandson of the winery’s founder, Pirramimma has seen many significant changes, including the construction of a 3100m²
naturally cooled rammed earth barrel storage facility and the expansion of vineyards to 240 acres and 13 varieties. Known as a “Professor of Soil”, he has also spent over 25 years converting Pirramimma’s sterile land into a living organism, as well as reducing the winery’s ecological footprint through various projects including solar systems, dams and even a wine turbine.
As a winemaker, Geoff has a worldly perspective. After a study trip to France his interest for the Bordeaux grape variety, Petit Verdot was developed. Geoff planted a small trial area of the grape in 1983, which has since expanded to 35 acres of mature vines. Pirramimma Petit Verdot vintages have been awarded internationally multiple times with European wine magazine WeinWisser asking… ‘is there any better Petit Verdot in the world?’
Geoff not only pioneered Petit Verdot in Australia, he was the first to introduce the Southern French variety Tannat to McLaren Vale.
In 2021, Geoff celebrated his 50th vintage – a fitting half century for the accomplished cricketer and dogged batsman.
