Young Guns of Wine Deep Dive - Australia’s Best Mataro/Mourvèdre/Monastrell
YGOW DEEP DIVE - AUSTRALIA’S BEST MATARO
Mataro as we like to call it in the Barossa (aka Mourvèdre / Monastrell) is one of the foundation red varieties of the Barossa. It has been grown in South Australia, and the Barossa in particular since literally the very beginning of the state. For a long time a foundation of the Barossa fortified industry, then a key component in dry reds (particularly the GSM, MSG, SGM) and of course increasingly as a standalone red grape variety.
Young Guns of Wine was started in 2007 to help people discover the joy of wine. A fabulous goal, and a goal that they have been working to deliver on for many years. You can find out more here.
The team run a number of deep dives, and we are always happy to support and participate. The recent deep dive in Mataro / Mourvèdre / Monastrell provides a great insight into the varieties and what producers are thinking when growing and making the wines. You can read the full article here.
Our 2024 Estate Mataro was featured as one of the top wines. A favourite of many of the judges, we love it too
2024 Hayes Family ‘Estate’ Mataro, Barossa Valley
Chosen in the blind tasting by Melton, Foster, Froude, Menezes and O’Kane, this mataro shows breadth and poise. Melton found it “quite a juicy expression of mataro… a flicker of sweet violets and a savoury, umami fish sauce edge,” with “soft, sweet boysenberry, intertwined with a fine tannin structure… a wine with great balance – simply a lovely drink.” Foster noted “floral red fruits, meaty, slight reduction, blueberries… lots of appeal, subtle fruit weight and balance, fine tannin, easy glide finish; has medium plus alcohol with dark fruit, savoury midweight balance… warmth of alcohol but has great finish.” For Froude, there were “lovely, lifted red and blue fruits, including cherry and blueberry, as well as a jubey red note reminiscent of grenache,” with “sweet spices such as cinnamon and clove,” and “a palate… long and complex, with nice ripe tannins… confected raspberry lolly and red jube notes” that “provide lovely relief from the wine’s formidable tannins.” Menezes called it “the new kid at school: quiet, reserved, and almost a bit shy,” urging a decant as “the savoury palate erupts with notes of forest floor, leather and meat,” while “the blackberries and liquorice sit in the back of the palate and say a quick hello… The acid is lively… A true ‘meditation’ wine.” O’Kane loved the “more tart, crisp and crunchy fruits on nose… cranberry, pomegranate,” plus “a gravelly character, like slippery wet rocks in a stream,” before “a more generous” palate with “licks of leather and tobacco… hints of pepper,” and “red fruits: cranberries, plums, almost even blood orange… This is an intriguing wine!”
I would encourage you to read the full article and subscribe for future features. Well done Rory and team!
Looking South Over the Old Estate Vineyard (thanks Dragan) - The Mataro Block is on the top left against the Eastern Boundary