Old Bastard delivers Barossa power and precision

If you want a big, bold Barossa shiraz that is full of flavour and personality but also has balance, then Kaesler is a label to have on your radar.

Kaesler recently launched its new vintage icon portfolio, headed by the 2022 vintage of its flagship Old Bastard ($350), alongside the 2021 editions of its ‘Old Vine’ Shiraz and ‘Alte Reben’ Shiraz.

The new releases also include the 2021 ‘Age of Light’ Cabernet Sauvignon and ‘WOMS’ Shiraz Cabernet blend.

Chief winemaker Tim Dolan believes the consecutive vintages of 2020 and 2021 delivered terrific results for Barossa producers.

“This Old Bastard Shiraz is our flagship wine and is released as a four-year-old shiraz," Dolan says.

"The name is fitting, referring to a small number of old gnarly bush vines planted in 1893. These ‘old bastards’ flourished during the 2020 vintage, with dry and warm conditions throughout spring into summer, resulting in significantly reduced yields.

“We believe wine is made in the vineyard, and the mild conditions throughout the harvest period enabled a long, even ripening period. The resultant wine is deep and brooding, like an iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove.”

It is certainly a wine with immense power - and long-term cellaring potential.

For more immediate drinking pleasure, the Old Vine’Shiraz and Alte Reben Shiraz (both $110) are better prospects, but remain wines of concentration and palate weight.

The Kaesler family had a long history in the wine business with the Silesian migrants establishing their vineyards in the 1890s.

The family settled in Barossa in the 1840s and purchased 96 acres in 1891. By 1893, they had planted the entire acreage with shiraz, grenache and mataro vines with much of the fruit still sourced gnarly dry-grown vines.

“Our Icon wines are a true testament to the history, soil, and place of Barossa," says Dolan.

"Access to premium old vine material means we can produce bold estate wines representative of Barossa Valley. In fact, the intensity of the old vine shiraz inspired the production of the Old Bastard.

In 1999, agribusiness entrepreneur Ed Peter, winemaker Reid Bosward, and business partners purchased the property and immediately regenerated the old vines.

The Kaesler team, now led by general manager and viticulturist Nigel Van der Zande, view themselves as the custodians of the ancient vineyards.

“At Kaesler, we strive not only to maintain but rebuild the soils because we want to leave these precious old vines in better condition than we found them," says Van der Zande.

"It’s a process called regenerative farming, as it’s more than sustainability; it is a constantly evolving practice, so we are not just sustaining the environment, we are aiming to improve it.”

See https://kaesler.com.au/

From famine to feast: McLaren Vale celebrates winning vintage

Here's an insider wine tip. 

Keep an eye out for 2021 vintage wines from McLaren Vale, with the South Australian wine region experiencing its best growing conditions in recent years.

Picking throughout the region started in early February with initial reports indicating vintage 2021 is set to exceed expectations.

Winemaker Renae Hirsch (above) from Chalk Hill Wines said both yield and quality were looking exceptional, which is a relief for local vignerons and winemakers following a tough 2020.

“So far, it’s been an extremely great vintage for McLaren Vale," she said. "Yields are up on the last couple of vintages, which is pleasing. We needed a decent crop. 

"The season started well with a wet winter, allowing the vines to produce a good canopy and a good number of bunches. Favourable weather throughout summer, being unusually cool but also quite dry, allowed even ripening.

“We have revelled in the low summer temperatures, which have given us even, slow ripening; producing good flavours, particularly in shiraz which is vibrant, with fine tannins and lovely acid.”

The McLaren Vale region was hit hard in 2020, with vintage conditions reducing the quantity of high-quality fruit, and Covid-19 restrictions impacting cellar door sales and visitation.

“Although the past 12 months have been particularly challenging, we are a forward-thinking community and I sense there is a real drive in the region to revel in the positive outcomes and quality wines from this vintage,” Hirsch said.

Hither & Yon has become McLaren Vale’s first carbon neutral certified wine brand, with co-owner Malcolm Leask saying climate change and sustainability have played a large part in the biodiversity management of their vineyards.

“Vintages are more difficult to predict, so we focus on long term soil health, hence growing conditions like we have experienced in 2021 are very rewarding, it’s very balanced and happy out here," he said.

“We all try to do our part to improve our impact on the landscape – being carbon neutral is a way for us to continuously improve our care for the environment and give back to our local community.”

Oliver’s Taranga Winemaker Corrina Wright acknowledged the optimism surrounding the 2021 vintage.

“It’s really great to be blunt; shiraz is spectacular with intense flavour and delicate tannins and we are seeing average yields, not the lows of the past two years,” she said.

“Fiano and whites are coming off with balance and natural acidity. The long, slow ripening this season allowed flavours to develop naturally and evenly in the vineyard and helped reduce the added pressure of disease.”