White Label Petit Verdot 2018

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.

95 Points Wine Orbit, SIVER AWC Vienna International Wine Challenge 2021, 90 Points Wine Pilot

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.