2023 Joshua Cooper Blanche Barkley Shiraz
WINEMAKER: Joshua Cooper
REGION: Bendigo, VIC
VARIETY: Shiraz
VITICULTURE: Organic/Sustainable
"Planted 1970 by the Reimer family Blanche Barkley is a relatively unknown gem. The vines have been dry-grown from planting on an alluvial fan intermixed with shale, ironstone and mudstone in close proximity to the famed Balgownie. Weeds are removed by whipper snipper, while the fruit load in managed on a vine but vine basis ensuring each is capable of reaching full maturity. The resultant fruit is bright and fresh, while also loaded with a slew of fine tannin. 2024 sees a Cabernet Sauvignon produced from the site that sites comfortably alongside the Balgownie bottling. Once hand harvested the fruit was entirely de-stemmed, then partially foot crushed before transfer to open fermenters where it remained for three weeks. The must was allowed to soak until natural fermentation commenced and was then extracted with a combination of pumping over, delestage and pigeage before basket pressing. Elevage took place in a combination of Spanish terracotta Tinaja pot (33%) new Stockinger 300l (30%) and seasoned thin staved Bordeaux coopered barriques for 12 months, before four months in stainless steal after assemblage." - Josh Cooper
Bright ruby red. Immediately aromatic and spicy, bright black and white peppercorns, liquorice strap and creamy black cherry and raspberry fruit with a potpourri lift and ironstone complexity. All gaining depth with aeration. The palate is bright fruited, fleshy and full- speaking of the cool site and season in a warm region. Black cherry and liquorice lead, again backed by pepper and spice, framed by the dense tannic structure from these old dry grown vines. A very “Burgundy” style shiraz.
The son of biodynamic power couple Alan & Nelly Cooper of Cobaw Ridge, Joshua Cooper is one of the most exciting young winemakers in Australia. Unbelievable precision and focus. Tiny quantities, high demand, a producer to watch.