Saltram's The Eighth Maker is in the tradition of Barossa reds -bold, deep in colour and driven by the unique fruit from which it was created. The Saltram Eighth Maker Shiraz will be an exclusive release, in limited quantities with the first release 2000 vintage now available.
Nigel Dolan is Saltram's eighth Chief Winemaker and sought to create The Eighth Maker as a tribute to the past winemakers of Saltram, which include his father, Brian. "The Eighth Maker was born from an idea to create a wine which encapsulated the winemaking history of Saltram," Nigel said.
Viticulture
Shiraz for The Eighth Maker was carefully selected by Nigel Dolan from low yielding vineyards in the Barossa with a desire to produce a very personal interpretation
of Barossa Shiraz. The region’s warm climate, mature vineyards and unique soil profile have contributed to create fruit of depth, intense concentration and impeccable
quality.
With a lower crop set at flowering, the 2000 vintage was characterised by smaller yields which ensured that intense varietal flavours developed in the fruit. The vintage
was warmer than average, enabling the fruit to fully ripen and produce intensely concentrated flavours and smooth tannin structure.
Winemaking
After careful harvesting to ensure optimum ripeness, the fruit was partially de-stemmed before crushing. Some of the mature stems were retained during ferment to
enhance tannin complexity. Fermentation was conducted in traditional 8 tonne open fermenters under ‘heading down’ boards which submerge the skins, gently
extracting the unique characters for which the fruit was chosen. The wine was then pressed before being transferred into new and seasoned French and American oak
barrels for 24 months maturation.
Cellaring
Drinking now will offer an exceptional experience of Barossa Shiraz– one of Australia’s best. Careful cellaring for the future will prove, yet again, that “persistence and enduring excellence can create a legend.” Saltram
No doubt it’s top class. Individual and inspiring. Out there: seaweed, plum pudding, Asian spices, minted oak, before the force of the palate brings on lucid raspberry, dripping plum, blue cedary oak and a fresh slap of leather. Subtle, stalky, savoury characters rear their sophisticated heads – it’s a wine living in its own world. Drink: Now-2014. 94 points. Campbell Mattinson, Winefront Monthly
Deeply flavoured and tightly crafted Barossa shiraz whose powerful, chocolatey bouquet of slightly jammy and briary blackberries, raspberries, blood plums and sweet, creamy vanilla oak reveals very faint herbal undertones. Concentrated and velvet smooth, the palate presents pristine, but slightly spirity flavours of sweet berry/plum fruit before finishing with a faint sappiness and greenish edges. Very good, but it does reflect some slightly over/under-ripe fruit. (Barossa Valley, $175 retail, approx., 17.9/92, drink 2009-2013+) Jeremy Oliver
