Every two years Primo Estate release the Joseph Sparkling Red. An Australian icon with dark, brooding opulence and layered complexity nurtured over many years, the modern history of Australian red wine in a bottle. The ultimate Christmas indulgence, a unique blend of museum vintages from the last forty years, treated to Methode traditionelle, rested on sediments, aged and liqueured with ultra fine ports. A powerful, yet graceful and lively sparkling red which, endowed with complexity, to take on intense flavours and festive occasions.
Joe Grilli and David Tait set about crafting this unique Cuvee with Adelaide Hills Shiraz as the predominant base wine (going back to 89) and introducing a small amount of Moda Cabernet Merlot (a hogshead from every vintage since 1991 goes in). A sizeable component 10% of the blend consists of a random mixture of early sixties to early seventies Australian reds acquired at auction. This imparts a real antique slant to the wine. After traditional fermentation in the bottle and resting on sedimentery yeast lees for a year, Joseph is mindfully liqueured to ensure a drier style and to obtain a perfect balance, with a mixture of old Australian ports from the last century.
Deeply coloured, a superfine bead. This latest version, disgorged in September 2008, takes the style to another level again. Currant and blackberry fruit, clove and some rancio, menthol and earth. This is wine of proportion and folklore, a seamless palate, showing some nicely aged characters, oak just discernible, with a drier than average finish. It is creamy fresh, a serious wine, it can also just as easily be served for a lighter entree or as a very special aperitif.
