Dutschke Block 80 Merlot 2013 CONFIRM 2013 VINTAGE

Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Shiraz Barossa South Australia
Dutschke are the birthplace of Barossa Merlot, originally sown in 1980 by Ken Semmler, cuttings from Block 80 were removed and replanted by the Vine Improvement Society into nascent sites on some of the nation's most prestigious vineyards. The inaugural harvest of 1990 was mixed with Cabernet and Shiraz under the moniker Willowbend. Since then the branding has evolved into Dutschke, the pick of the estate's Merlot is reserved each year for a pure, St Jakobi Vineyard wine.
Ken Semmler returned to the Barossa after a tour of duty with the RAAF, dodging anti aircraft fire above the jungles of Vietnam. He went to work on his father's farm, planting vines which today are source to some of Lyndoch finest wine grapes. Only the best parcels are vinified and branded as Dutschke, the majority are passed on to other estates. Merlot off fully mature vines grown to the 1980 Block on the elite St. Jakobi family vineyard, are treated to an extravagant maturation of fifteen months in a selection of new and prior use American and French oak hogsheads. Alcohol 14.5%
Deep garnet colour. Distinctive perfumed dark berry perfumes, cocoa and carob oak, seasoned by a twist of aromatically spiced French vanilla bean, underbrush and clove. A round soft plum berry palate of fresh fruit flavours, black cherries, parched purple currant characters, all supported by a fine length of pliant velvet tannin and seamless French vanilla oak.
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Winemaker Wayne Dutschke is blessed by the foresight of his ancestors who planted the winery's vineyard at Lyndoch in the southern end of the Barossa Valley

Once upon a time around the end of the 19th century, this 72 acre patch of real estate included only a few acres of vineyard, with most of the area being dedicated to cropping and dairy cattle. At the start of the 1930's Oscar Semmler, winemaker Wayne Dutschke's grandfather bought the block and more vineyard was planted, but it remained primarily a grazing area for dairy purposes. Oscar's Semmler's Dad referred to the dirt as a wonder of creation, a fact borne out by the wine now coming from it. The vineyard of that time while reflecting the fortified market of the day, did not predict the potential to produce the rich varietal flavours found in current production.

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Oscar's son Ken returned to the Barossa Valley in the early 1970's after first spreading his wings as a fighter pilot with the RAAF, dodging anti-aircraft fire above the jungles of Vietnam. Then in 1975, the transition began with Ken starting the planting of the beloved Shiraz, and it is this first area of Shiraz which provides the precious component of Dutschke Wines. Currently forty five acres are planted with Shiraz making up one third of that area, the balance including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. Most of the fruit gets passed onto other Barossa winemakers.

Here at Lyndoch the growing conditions are reliable and consistent, allowing the production of premium wines year after year. It's rather fascinating to note that all varieties have performed well, both in an analytic sense and the all important consumer taste test!

In 1990 Ken and Wayne decided to keep some of these grapes for themselves and start producing wine of their own from this vineyard under the brand WillowBend. Production never intended to be a big time operation, with the bulk of the fruit each year being delivered to the Krondorf and Mildara Blass Winemakers.

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With the 1998 vintage release, interest from the US led to the name being changed to Dutschke Wines and production for future vintages was revved up to support this market and many others that have followed.

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