Great and exciting results are to be had when you combine the classic with the contemporary, the traditional with the forward-thinking. Barossa’s Head winery, run by seasoned vintner Alex Head, is an ideal example of this. A self-confessed Cotes du Rhone obsessive, Head brings a touch of French finesse to his operation, which models itself on the sunny slopes of the Cotes-Rotie, but which has a generosity and open-mindedness, that is quintessentially Aussie.
Head winery seeks to achieve high levels of expression in their wines – with land as good as that found in the Barossa Valley, who wouldn’t want that to be the case? This means using extremely low-yielding vineyards, such as that in the Moppa area, and by utilising techniques such as open fermentation using whole bunches, basket pressing and maturation in French Oak. Head wines are often blends, but Alex is open to experimenting quite wildly with his blends, which often contain unorthodox combinations and lesser-used varietals. Alex started his own label in 2006, and focused on varieties originally from the Rhone Valley in France, grown in the Barossa and Eden Valleys in South Australia. After consistently nailing his own brief – sustainably managed vines, low preservative use, powerful wines of elegance and balance – he is now moving onwards and upwards, and this wine is a prime example of that.
What was once ‘old school’, is revamped… what you think of Cabernet Shiraz will flip on its ‘Head’ here, in a bright, rich yet medium bodied style. Its full of rich dark fruit, but its dense and yet not heavy, with baked earth characters, spearmint, a chunkiness in mouthfeel and a satisfying savoury rustic finish. Classically Barossa, with a makeover.
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