Riebeek Shiraz 2021

Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz. 

 WHAT IS THE CARNIVAL OF LOVE?

This is as life should be – a Carnival of Love. A place where everyone wants to be, and no one wants to leave.

TASTING NOTES:

Intense in colour, flavour and aroma, our 2021 Carnival of Love Shiraz captivates the palate from the first sip. Powerful yet delicate, lifted aromas of red cherry, blackberry and turkish delight evolve, while subtle hints of mocha linger. Infectious chocolate cherry, fresh plum and liquorice add to the complexity, while creating a seamless structure and lingering finish.

TECHNICAL NOTES:

The grapes were grown on the Gateway vineyard in McLaren Vale. Barrel fermented and matured in 100% American oak, using 100% new barrels. The required Marquis Fruit Weight™ for the Love Series is 85% – 95%. The Actual Fruit Weight for 2021 Carnival of Love 88%.

Alcohol: 16.5%

pH: 3.66

Reviews:

Another sensational edition of the Mollydooker ‘Carnival of Love’ Shiraz from 2021 — and I am not the least surprised. I’ve had every edition of this wine for more than a decade. This bottling was as usual aged in all new American oak. On the nose this takes on dense black currant jelly, cigar box and shades of creosote with Arabica bean. The palate is soft and inviting with its plush texture and seamless mouthfeel as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. A joy to drink now so young, this will easily cellar for another ten years and potentially more. But why wait?  

- Owen Bargreen 96 Points

Bright and glossy ruby red in color. On the nose it reveals aromas of small fresh berries and a trace of sour cherry, melded with hints of blackberries and black cherries, followed by a hint of vanilla. A fragrant wine with satisfying intensity. On the palate it is warm, smooth and a medium-bodied with finely-balanced tannins. Dry and sinewy yet fresh with a persistent, aromatic finish.

It naturally accompanies dishes that are typical of Tuscan cuisine with its bold, authentic flavors, such as pasta and risottos made with mushrooms or truffles, pork, grilled meats and medium-matured cheeses.

 Review:

Notes of ripe cherries, dried flowers and walnuts with hints of anisette and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, compact and dense with creamy tannins and steady acidity. Weighty and structured. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 91 Points

The Factor is predominantly from the Gomersal and Marananga sub-regions of the Barossa, providing dense texture and richness to the palate with subtle notes of olive tapenade, saddle leather and minerals. Ripe aromas of plum and wild blackberries, olive, pepper and spice are all supported by a dark core of espresso roast, ripe blackberries and saltbush. Brooding and densely packed, this lavish wine has ample generosity to cellar for many years, where it will slowly unravel.

Review:

Wine Spectator 96 Points

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 96+ Points

The Kasteelberg range of wines, celebrates the discovery of Riebeek and the Kasteelberg mountains in 1661. Kasteelberg stands sentinel over the fertile valley below. From the slopes of the mountains, hand-selected grapes are expertly crafted with care to produce rare and expressive wines. The Kasteelberg range truly is the pinnacle of our Winemaker's art.

Often referred to as Shiraz Country, the Riebeek Valley is renowned for exceptional Shiraz wines.
The Kasteelberg Shiraz is a lively rich wine, full bodied with a subdued smokiness on the nose and a pallet of ripe fruit and interesting spice.
Well-balanced and smooth, the aftertaste lingers with the exciting flavors of Christmas pudding.

Serve at room temperature. The perfect companion to barbequed lamb, fillet medallions and game. Lovely with Springbok stuffed with bacon, garlic and rosemary and a great match to a cheese and preserve platter.

Review:

"I'd expect to prefer the 2017 Shiraz to the 2018 bottling, but it's actually the reverse. Maybe Alecia Boshoff has just got more experience with the fruit from this Kasteelberg site. Sweet and spicy, with enticing incense and violet aromas, fine tannins, succulent red berry fruit and deftly integrated one-third new oak. 2021-26"

- Tim Atkin (South Africa 2020 Report), 92 pts

Riebeek Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon,15 % Shiraz.

An exciting new world style wine with upfront blackcurrant flavors. The black fruit is well-balanced with subtle French oak for a complex nose and an elegant and lingering follow-through. An exceptional example of a lighter style Cabernet Sauvignon that can be enjoyed young. Excellent with red meat dishes or veal.

The Barossa has a core of traditional growers of German Silesian descent, dating back five generations, staunchly continuing on the traditions of their forebears. Occasionally one or two parcels of fruit of overwhelming quality come over the weighbridge; this is such an example. This wine is sourced from up to 70-year-old, low-yielding shiraz vines from a selection of historical grower vineyards at Tappa Pass and Light Pass, growing in low-fertility Neoproterozoic soils more than 542 million years old, that range from red-brown earths to terra rossa. These vineyards provide shiraz fruit from both the Eden and Barossa Valleys of the Barossa zone, vinified in traditional open-top fermenters. Matured in 24% new and 76% seasoned French hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.

 Deep crimson with violet hues. Vibrant aromas of blueberry, blackberry, Satsuma plum and raspberry with hints of anise, crushed marjoram, cardamom, violets and cedar. The palate is rich, plush, and complex, with juicy blueberry and mulberry, spicy blackberry paste, and layers of fine velvety tannins creating incredible depth and length.

Review:

This was an excellent vintage in the Barossa and this exceptional wine from 70-year-old low yielding vines is a beautiful expression of the season. Dark plummy dark chocolate characters with a dry dusty complexity. The palate is sublimely integrated and balanced, exhibiting poise and style. The sweet fruit on the middle palate is complemented by the minerally oyster shell edge. Terrific wine.

-Wine Pilot 96 Points