History of A Bachelor.

May 27, 2020 1 Comment

History of a Bachelor: New Release Atze’s Bachelor 2018 Reserve Shiraz

Today we bring you a tale and a treasure, and find new light shed on an old story in the wake of modern events.

 Bachelor Bert

Our new Reserve release is a wine named after Bert Kleinig.

The last of his family line, Bert’s family were the custodians of one of our premium vineyard sites from the 1880’s. Bert spent his years doing what he loved – tending to his land and his animals.

Indeed, this is exactly how he passed. Bert was out feeding his sheep one day when out of the blue his heart gave in. Believe it or not, he would set his tractor going to drive by itself, and he would stand on the back and throw out the hay to his sheep. Bert’s neighbour found the tractor trying to climb its way up an embankment, before finding Bert in one if his beloved paddocks.

Without a next of kin to find him, it’s almost a poetic setting for the Kleinig bachelor’s ending. At its core, it’s a classic tale of generational progression, yet without a family of his own, Bert’s final heart attack in the fields of his family estate marked the end of one era, and the beginning of another.

Once purchased by my parents John and Barb, the Kalleske family became the modern day custodians of the property and homestead, a generous four bedroom stone farmhouse built in the late 1800s.

The 2020 Vintage Isolation Station

In a year where isolation became the norm, it’s intriguing to reflect on a different type of isolation. I imagine what it would have felt like for Bert to voluntarily live in such a big place, accompanied only by family memories.

While spending his years under the sun and on the land is quite a different isolation to many Australians self-isolating these last few months, it’s certainly food for thought.

For us at Atze’s Corner throughout vintage 2020, it’s been close to business as usual.

Without the distraction of travel, our focus on planning, vineyard operations and blending in the winery has been intensified. I do miss my interstate trips, showcasing our wines and sharing the stories of our winery and region.

On the upside, maintenance and updates to our cellar door and timber vineyard terrace have us hotly anticipating the future! We’re going to reopen our doors in June, armed with a new tasting structure, with some limited release single vineyard wines added to the mix, and a new menu to boot – not to mention this new beauty.

Stay tuned for an exciting announcement about our reopening date in the next few days!

New Release: Atze’s Bachelor 2018 Shiraz

Phil Reedman Master of Wine tasting notes

The Bachelor Barossa Valley Shiraz 2018

From vineyards planted over 25 years ago, the Bachelor Shiraz qualifies, with some ease, as a Barossa Old Vine vineyard under the region’s official classification. Old vines, grown on the right site and tended with love, pruned for quality and picked when perfectly ripe produce glorious wines. John and Barb Kalleske planted the vineyard and have been nurturing it ever since.  The 2018 vintage does the vineyard proud; brooding and concentrated, powerful yet poised.  Packed with blackberry and raspberry jam-like flavours supported by svelte, savoury tannins from the oak in which it was matured.  A treat to drink now, if it has been decanted for a couple of hours.  Otherwise, show some of the patience of the vineyard’s custodians and wait a few years.  I’d say at least five more years before it will show its true potential and it will go another ten beyond that. Great Barossa Valley Shiraz. - Phil Reedman

From the iconic Northern subregions of Koonunga and Ebenezer, soil is characterised by brown loam over deep red clay.

A warmer vintage with low rainfall helped to produce an incredible depth of flavour. These single cordon spur hand pruned vines are shoot thinned to provide highest quality fruit, at just 2.4 tonnes per acre for 2018.

Characterised by an impenetrable red hue, this medium to full-bodied wine has a long life ahead.

Aromatic with blueberries, toast and vanilla oak on both the palate and nose before rounding off with blood plum, decant and drink now to 2030.

18 months in a mix of New French, New American and 3^rd fill mix of French and American Hogshead barrels deliver wonderful smoothness and a rich mouthfeel.

 

Atze’s Bachelor 2018 Shiraz

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