wine
nicole sparkling cabernet sauvignon shiraz 2008 disgorge
Production:
60% 2005 cab shiraz
40% nv cuvee 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
tirage late 2005,
disgorge late 2008
1979 shiraz vp liqueur.
Total production 380 bottles
.
Colour:
Bright deep purple red with a visually delicious pink creamy mousse when first poured.
Nose:
Complex cassis over eucalypti mint and satsuma plum, rounded out with mushroom tea, old cigar box leather and crusty bread yeast notes.
Palate:
A light creamy mousse seductively fills the palate with deliciously lifted and spiced rich cabernet round red berry.
Mouth prickling zip gives slowly way to palate filling richness. complex layers of summer fruits and balanced sweetness linger on the palate long after the wine has gone.
Purchase:
3 bottle case.
Philosophy:
Methode Champenoise and robust red wine inhabiting the same glass seems to leave the rest of the world a little confused. "you do what with what!??!! here in
Australia its one of our favourite gurgles. Although it's traditionally made with shiraz there a few mavericks like myself out there who like it a little different. altogether more laidback and refined, sparkling cabernet will always get my vote as the bubbles of choice when
Christmas comes around.
Not being what you’d describe as the world’s most patient person, Nicki (or Nicole as she was christened) just managed to survive until the release of ‘her’ wine!!! for the past four releases we’ve had wines for each of the kids, but my darling Nicki has been bereft. in my defense I can only hold the (delicious) result up and hope you, the reader, will judge me kindly.
Lets roll back to early 2003, when the pressure to celebrate Nicki in the form of a vinous tribute became paramount. foremost in all my considerations was the need to match a wine to my wife. it's a happy coincidence that her favourite drinking style is sparkling red; I certainly could not pick a better match to her personality. Cabernet sauvignon is usually her tipple of choice so what better way to celebrate the love of my life than to roll it all into the one package? decision made I took stock of my resources. I dismissed the concept of a vintage sparkling, I wanted something much more complex, mysterious and layered. the first (2006 disgorge) nicole was built from 2001 cabernet ready for the bottle, 2002 cabernet about to go back into oak for another year and 2003 cabernet ready for it’s first taste of oak. after a bit of mucking about I settled on a blend of 25% each of 01 and 02 cabernet for depth and backbone and 50% 03 cab. this blend was both the first nicole and my sparkling cuvee base for the future. The 2007 disgorge nicole added 2004 cabernet to the established base cuvee.
Methode Champenoise is the ultimate process for producing sparkling wines, so I took my 'liquid gold' to yalumba where they have facilities to ‘tirage’ (add sugar, yeast and bottle under crown seal for secondary fermentation). Once the tirage had been laid down time was the next step in the process. each ‘nicole’ spends 3 years on yeast lees then back to yalumba to be disgorged. I use a ‘79 shiraz vintage port that dad made as a base for my liqueur which brings out the richness of the fruit adds a wonderful developed complexity and works so well. so now patience or lack thereof no longer is an issue. the wine is every bit as delicious as my wife is beautiful (and as beautiful as she is delicious too). please enjoy the wine as much as I enjoy its namesake!
