Kalleske Pirathon Barossa Valley Shiraz 2008
It pushes the boundaries at 15 percent alcohol but this Pirathon Shiraz from the Barossa sure has a lot going for it. The secret to its success: texture and flavour. And value.
The flavours are lovely. It tastes of toast and blackberry, tar and caramel, with smoky, almost meaty nuaces drifting through the finish. It’s quite warm with alcohol but it seems balanced too, and its creamy texture has a whole lot of appeal. Very nice wine. Made in the big, push-to-the-limits style, but made well made. 90 points Drink : 2009 - 2013 Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Grapes for Pirathon are grown by dedicated high quality growers in the Greenock, Moppa, Belvedere, Stonewell, Seppeltsfield, Koonunga and Ebenezer districts of the north western Barossa. Many of these families have been growing grapes here for generations. Each vineyard adds its own exclusive dimension to Pirathon Shiraz, traditionally handcrafted and combined they produce the ultimate blend. "A young turk, Troy Kalleske, seems to be obsessed with making a great name for his Barossa Valley wines Robert Parker
In South Australia's Barossa Valley, the Kalleske family have been farming and growing grapes since 1853 near the village of Greenock. After five generations of growing grapes, winemaker and sixth generation family member, Troy Kalleske, together with his brother Tony, established the Kalleske winery and made the first ‘Kalleske’ wine. The winery is situated on the family estate where traditional winemaking techniques ensure the vineyard realises its full potential as wine.
The vineyard is managed by Troy's and Tony’s father, fifth generation grape-grower, John Kalleske, who has over forty years experience tending the vineyard. He works the vineyard together with wife, Lorraine and son, Kym. The 120 acre vineyard is planted to Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, Chenin Blanc, Mataro, Petit Verdot, Durif, Viognier Tempranillo and Zinfandel. Vines vary in age with the oldest vineyard dating back to 1875 and an overall average vine age of about 50 years. The vineyard is low yielding with grapes grown organically and biodynamically and the winery is also certified organic.
All wines are estate grown and vinified with minimalist winemaking techniques used to fully capture the essence of the vineyard allowing genuine hand made estate wines to be produced. The range is a diverse mix of wines that showcases the splendid Kalleske grapes.
Since the first wine release in 2004, Kalleske has rapidly gained a reputation for producing top-quality hand crafted wines. Kalleske are committed to continue making genuine estate grown wines of individuality and of vineyard and winemaking excellence. Wines from Kalleske have been six generations in the making, but they are certainly worth the wait!
