Bacchanalia 1998 Shiraz  

'98 was a wonderful year for Australian wine and just a few dozen of this inaugural Bacchanalia vintage now remain in our museum stock.

The grapes, picked at 13.4 baume on 3 May, were enhanced by a long, warm and dry autumn. 

 Winemaker Stuart Anderson described the '98 Bacchanalia as after the style of St Joseph and Crozes Hermitage in the Northern Rhone. 

"It's not like the big out-of-balance monsters they are creating today in the Barossa with 14 or 15% alcohol. They're more like junior ports I think.

"This is a beautifully balanced wine, with elegance and finesse. Now, with some years in bottle, it is drinking very nicely."

Stuart Anderson planted the Balgownie Vineyard, Bendigo in the 1960s, the first grapes planted in the district for almost a century. The former pharmacist sold Balgownie to Wolf Blass and retired to Gisborne where he now makes wine at Mount Gisborne. 

Stuart gained his reputation with shiraz but at Mount Gisborne, he is restricted to local mainstays chardonnay and pinot noir. The Bacchanalia '98 was the first shiraz he made after leaving Balgownie and it may well be the last he will make of the varietal. 

The nose is of red berry fruit, of black cherry and spice. It's colour is an intense deep magenta with still a hint of purple, good characteristics of a wine that is still very youthful. 

The nose carries through onto the palate with light berry fruits, plums, pepper and fine tannins. It has very good acidity, intense flavours, is balanced well-structured with a long finish. 

"It will last up to ten years, no problem," Stuart Anderson says, "It will probably drink well even beyond that I would say." 

Bacchanalia Shiraz 1999  

Made by Patrick Carmody at the historic Craiglee winery at Sunbury, a forerunner of Victoria's early wine industry, established in 1868. 

But by the time the Carmody family bought the property a century later to run sheep, the vines had disappeared. 

But the old bluestone winery remained an inspiration to the young Patrick who decided to replant Craiglee with shiraz vines in 1976. 

Today his reputation with the variety is recognised with a string of medals and industry awards. 

And that barometer of the finest wines...the auction system...has Craiglee wines fetching many times their original price at cellar door. 

Bacchanalia was indeed lucky to have three vintages made exclusively by Patrick Carmody apart from his own Craiglee range.

The 1999 vintage was marked by a long balmy autumn and the grapes were eventually picked at 13.2 baume on 26 April 1999.

The nose of the 1999 shiraz is of a fruit driven wine, typical of today's Australian style with overtones of plums, marzipan, vanilla, licorice, spice and white pepper. 

It has a medium red colour and the palate is of charred French oak with vanillan flavours. It fills the mouth with savoury, spicy characters with good length and medium weight tannins which will soften with age. 

Patrick Carmody says the wine "will still be drinking well in five years more likely ten." 

Unfortunately very few bottles of this this very popular vintage remain, and most have been retained for museum stock. 

Bacchanalia Shiraz 2000

A wetter year, the 2000 Shiraz is a lighter, more elegant style than its two preceding vintages. 

Aged in a mixture of French and American oak it is characteristically peppery shiraz for which the Sunbury Region is famous. 

Winemaker Patrick Carmody says the 2000 has a nose of plums allied to some  dusty characters with nutmeg and cinnamon overtones. Plums and spice flow through to the palate.

It is well balanced with plenty of acid. 

Patrick says the 2000 will still be drinking well after ten years, but only few  bottles remain and these have been placed in the Bacchanalia museum stock. 

Bacchanalia Shiraz 2002

The Bacchanalia winery was constructed in 2001 and the first vintage was produced on the estate at 160 Taverner St, Bacchus Marsh in 2002 assisted by wine consultant John Lakey.  

Bacchanalia Shiraz 2003

Harvested on 16,17 and 18 April 2003 at 13.3 baume, this is another elegant wine in the French Northern Rhone style. 

Made from entirely Shiraz grapes, clones PT 10 and PT 23, which were grown, hand picked and estate bottled at Bacchanalia Estate. 

Medium red in colour with an elevated nose of  raspberries with a hint of cherry and plum flavours which flow through to the palate. 

A well-balanced wine with creamy oak flavours and mocha overtones. 

Winemakers John Reid and Peter Dredge: 

Alcohol 13.2%.  Ph: 3.5. Cellaring potential: 5-10 years Standard Drinks: 7.8. Minimal preservative 220 added.  

Bacchanalia Shiraz 2004

The 04 was bottled on 11 May 2006 and is now in cellar awaiting release in 2007.  

Cabernet Sauvignon...a vertical tasting

Bacchanalia Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

The first Bacchanalia release of Cabernet Sauvignon, made largely from the highly respected SA125 clone with some G9V3, was again made by Patrick Carmody. Only one puncheon was made in this first year for the cabernet and only a limited quantity was subsequently available for release. 

It has a deep brick red colour with a nose of cassis, blackberry, with some mocha overtones.

Aged for two years in French oak, it is a medium weight wine with some concentrated berry fruits, mocha, soft tannins and good length.   

Winemaker Patrick Carmody. Available at cellar door only 

Bacchanalia Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

The 2001 vintage was probably one of the most difficult in our short history. 

Right on vintage, we were struck by four inches of rain followed a few days later by a further three inches. 

Despite the weather, the grapes picked were in remarkably good condition. A wonderful little thick skinned grape, the cabernet managed to survive the elements.

And aided by the subtle winemaking skills of Patrick Carmody, it has proven a remarkable wine with a nose of red berries, licorice and aniseed. 

Mid-weight on the palate with dried and dusty herbal characters with soft tannins and sweet vanillan American oak Winemaker Patrick Carmody. 

Available at cellar door only

Bacchanalia Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Picked on 28 April 2003 at 13.4 baume, this cab is a real little stunner. 

Deep red brick colour with aromas of cassis and blackberries with mocha overtones.

A medium weight wine with concentrated berry fruits , mocha, soft tannins and good length.

Made from entirely Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, clones SA125 and G9V3, grown, hand picked and estate bottled at Bacchanalia Estate. 

Alcohol: 13.3%. Ph:3.5. Cellaring potential: 5-10 years Standard drinks: 7.9. Minimal preservative 220 added. 

Winemakers, John Reid and Peter Dredge.  

Semillon...a vertical tasting

The 2000 Semillon, also made by Patrick Carmody continues to develop in bottle...a smooth- drinking summer wine. 

Straw in colour it has the nose of lemon and classic lanolin which flows through to the palate with citrus and lemon butter characters. 

A refreshing wine that is ageing beautifully. Finely balanced, rich in flavour with good length. 

Bacchanalia is particularly pleased with this vintage which continues to grow, setting the standard for the Semillon range. 

Made by Patrick Carmody at the Craiglee winery, Sunbury.

Semillon 2003

An enigmatic wine full of intense citric flavours. 

A straw colour with a nose of lemon and grapefruit. 

A fruit driven wine, the palate is refreshed by the flavours of lemon and lime. 

Winemakers John Reid and Peter Dredge. Available at cellar door only.

Semillon 2004  

A light straw colour, this is a lean and bracing wine. 

A nose of citrus and grapefruit, it is a flinty fruit driven style with plenty of acid.

A wine that is already showing the benefit of bottle age. 

Harvested on 1-2 April 2004 at 12.6 baume.  

Winemakers John Reid and Peter Dredge.  

Made from entirely Semillon grapes grown, hand picked and estate bottled at Bacchanalia Estate.   

Alcohol: 12.5%. pH : 3.6 Standard drinks: Approx 7.4  Minimal preservative 220 added:

Rose...A vertical tasting

A distinctive wine, the Bacchanalia Rose has been a revelation. Made from shiraz and cabernet sauvignon grapes and aged in old American oak barrels it is replete with red berry flavours. 

A very popular cellar door selection. Winemakers John Reid and Peter Dredge.

Coming Up

The 2006 vintage is now in barrel.  An exciting prospect. 

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Copyright 2006 Bacchanalia Estate Vineyard Bacchus Marsh Victoria