Very few know who the Phantom is. Every year he leaves his mark on the McLaren Vale region through a unique blend – a blend of both red wine, and character. A master of disguise, he remains anonymous, letting the wine he puts forward speak on his behalf. He spends his days watching over the region undetected, sourcing the next secret blend recipe.
This is the wine that illuminates the ‘winemaker-as-artist’; the small batches of grapes are but colours on Mike’s palette, the means to create his vision. The blend will change year-to- year, the experience will remain the same. Click here for the story behind the mask.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Crimson red with purple hue
Nose: Dark cherry, mulberry, Chinese 5 spice, liquorice, dark chocolate, quite confectionary.
Palate: A vibrant fleshy wine with flavours of marshmallow, mulberry and delicious red fruits with a hint of fairy floss, yes it is a first for me to! Silky, textured and very focused, we are very proud of this wine and it will have a long cellar life.
Oak: 100% French oak. 40% new barriques, 30% one and two year old barriques and 30% 3 year old barriques.
Winemaking
Each year the Phantom blend presents something new. This vintage has seen the introduction of two new varieties to the blend, Sangiovese and Tempranillo. Each batch is picked at its optimum maturity for flavour and expression, then fermented separately in open fermenters, plunged daily to extract only the softest tannins and then gently pressed off into French oak for aging. In my mind this is how the wines come together: The Cabernet provides the base line for structure, the Shiraz, sweetness, the Tempranillo adds spice and richness, and the Sangiovese and Mourvedre are all about the finish, adding weight, brightness and soft integrated tannins.
Vintage Notes
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