2010 Dutschke Cab Mac Shiraz
Barossa, South Australia
Carbonic maceration - or Cab Mac as it is known colloquially - is a process that encourages an anaerobic alcoholic fermentation to take place inside the grape. This winemaking technique is used to great effect in many parts of the world, most famously in Beaujolais. The resulting wines have a brightness of colour and a softness of fruit, with appealing bubblegum aromatics and easy "gulpability".
This Barossa Valley shiraz is made by Wayne Dutschke, in homage to the original Cab Mac, created by Stephen Hickenbotham in the early 1980's. Dutschke worked with Hickenbotham at that time, and then later with Don Lewis at Mitchelton on their Cab Mac and he has been a fan of the style ever since.
This wine, deep bright purple garnet in colour has a juicy nose reminiscent of red cherries, and a hint of the lolly shop - chocolate-coated aniseed rings and raspberry licorice. On the palate, bright red fruit cedes to a savoury finish while tangy acid jostles soft tannins. This is delicious drink-now wine - eminently quaffable, as much for the things that have been left out (heavy tannins, over-extracted flavours, excessive oak), as for what we find in the glass. Bravo Wayne!
Online Price: $20
Wine Diva Wines of the Month, September 2010
