Attollo The Black Wine Malbec 2015

Attollo “The Black Wine” Malbec is made from a selection of vineyards across the Margaret River region and utilises only the best individual barrels of the season in creation of the ultimate Malbec, “The Black Wine”.  The vinification utilises both New and Old World influences in creation of a wine with immediate drinkability but ageability for the medium to long-term, depending on your cellaring conditions.

The 2015 growing season started out well with a couple of early storms disrupting flowering a little and making for some uneven fruit set.  Attention was required throughout the growing season with shoot thinning and green fruit removal to even up the crop.  The remainder of the season was a fantastic growing season with warm to hot conditions and minimal rain.   Bird pressure became extreme as blossom was limited and big fires in Esperance and Northcliffe drove birds to the South West.  Bird nets stood the test and some hang time was required to even flavours in reds.  

The Malbec for this wine was sourced from four vineyards in Margaret River, stretching from Wilyabrup to Karridale.

Equal portions of the following vineyards were used in this years blend.

Bessil Road Walcliffe Subregion Malbec grown using a VSP trellis on grey gravel loams over mottled clay.  The vines were planted in 1996 and this vine age (19 years old in 2015) combined with this inland terroir provides for richly flavoured malbec with an amazing purple colour, powerful aromas of violet and dark fruit, with distinctive hints of savoury herbs, rich long flavour with amazing bright acidity and rustic structural tannins.  This parcel was hand picked on the 13th March 2015 at 14.05 Baume.

Glenarty Road Karridale Subregion Malbec grown using a modified lyre arrangement on moderately fertile black loam

sands over karri loams.  The vines were planted in 1994 so now have some pedigree also being 21 years old at harvest.  The warm vintage resulted in a wine with intense fruit flavours of Christmas cake and chocolate with violet notes and an immense rich full bodied palate with immense length, fine ripe tannins and a savoury texture.   This parcel was hand picked on the 24th of March 2015 at 14.3 Baume. 

Mcdonald Road Karridale Subregion Malbec grown on a VSP trellis on black greg gavels over clay.  The vines were planted in 2007 and tend to get a little riper as they are younger.  This parcel was hand harvested on the 13th of March 2015 at 15.2 baume.  The wine had rich bosynberry chocolate aromas with a ripe rich round plate and slick sweet tannins.

The blend was comprised of 0.338t Glenarty Road, 0.35t Mcdonald Road, and 0.34t Bessil Road Malbec.  All parcels were hand picked and chilled to 5oC before gently destemming to dry iced bins for a 7 day cold soak. The must was then transferred by gravity [bucket] to 225L barrique fermenters (one brand new) with a small addition of D21 Lallemand yeast.  Each individual ferment was plunged by hand gently during ferment lasting for 8 to 12 days and peaking at 25 to 28oC.  Towards the end of fermentation the barrel fermenters were set on racks and left on skins for a period of two to three weeks [extended maceration] to build palate weight and provide a tannic backbone affording longevity to the wine.  The barrels were then gently basket pressed directly back to barrel for malolactic fermentation on lees.  Three individual 225L barriques resulted from this vinification process.  The wines were sulphured at the end of malolactic fermentation and left on lees for another 8 months with the odd stir.  The malbec was then matured on light lees for a total of 15 months, before blending in September of 2016, where a small amount of 2016 Brash Road Wilyabrup Malbec was blended in to sweeten the midpalate and freshen the aromatics and tannins.  The wine was bottled with no fining or filtration in October 2016. 

pH 3.62

Titrateable Acidity [TA] 6.4g/L

Residual Sugar [RS]  0.3g/L

Volatile Acidity [VA] 0.47g/l

Alcohol 14.5%

Cases Bottled 

October 2016

630L

135  6 pack screw cap

Cellaring Best

 Best 2017-27, Maximum 2032

Taste [10/10/17]

The wine has a typical deep red centre with a pink hue.  Violets, blackberry and chocolate notes, with some cherry and savoury leathery undertones.  The 2015 has a more noticeable savoury perfume from inclusion of more southern fruit.  The palate is still beautifully sweet and rich, with a lovely savoury tannin to afford a dry lingering finish.  This wine is still an infant and will continue to soften and evolve over the next ten years- enjoy.