Description
Buckboard Durif is a single vineyard wine that’s been grown, vintaged and matured on the Kalleske property. Vigilant grape growing, traditional winemaking and maturation in new and seasoned American oak hogsheads has resulted in a powerful, full-bodied wine of great flavour and intensity.
For more than a century, the horse drawn ‘buckboard’ was indispensable on the farm. The buckboard buggy transported not only people but hauled produce and supplies to and from the farm, including countless loads of grapes. In the mid 1900s the horse was replaced with a motor and then the buckboard further evolved into a flat bed truck and eventually to the modern ute.
Growing Season
The 2022 vintage was excellent. Winter was significantly wetter than average getting the vines off to a brilliant start leading into Spring which was cool with median rainfall. Summer was mild and dry apart from rain on the last day. Autumn remained mild with generally perfect mid-20s weather combined with cool nights ensuring steady even ripening across all varieties. The 2022 yields were good and the quality is great, a classic Barossa vintage displaying rich flavours with fine balance.
Vineyard
Buckboard Durif is sourced from a single vineyard on the Kalleske property. The hand-pruned vines are low-yielding and are grown in shallow, sandy loam soil over superb deep red clay, providing ideal conditions for Durif.
Winemaking
The grapes were picked on April 4th and April 19th 2022 and then destemmed into open top fermenters. The must was native-yeast fermented for 8-10 days on skins with hand pump-overs twice a day. After pressing off skins the Durif was filled to a mix of 25% new and the balance used American oak hogsheads. The wine underwent natural malolactic fermentation in barrel. The Durif was matured in barrel for a year prior to bottling.
Tasting Notes
Colour:
2022 Buckboard Durif is deep black in colour.
Aroma:
The aroma announces a strong wine awaits. Black fruits abound, namely blackberry and dark cherry. There’s also fruit cake, violet, briar, chocolate liquorice and toasty oak.
Palate:
The palate is rich and full bodied. Plenty of dark fruit throughout. Being Durif, tannins are obviously notable but more polished this year, allowing the big black fruits to shine deeper before the dry chalky tannins engage near the end. Quality oak is evident providing another layer of flavour. This wine is truly bountiful in every aspect. Power and complexity are its hallmark, but strong fruit purity is dominant. A very generous long finish completes this beguiling wine.
Recommended Drinking:
Buckboard is a compelling and seductive Barossa Durif that can be enjoyed now or over the next decade.