Wine Advisor
Kaesler, Old Bastard Shiraz 2005
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Jay S Miller
As good as the preceding wines may be, they pale in the shadow of the 2005 Shiraz “Old Bastard,” sourced from a 114-year-old vineyard, and which spent 22 months in new and one-year-old French oak. It presents a superb perfume of cedar, violets, lavender, smoked meat, game, black raspberry, and blueberry. This leads to a voluptuous, velvety-textured, layered, super concentrated Shiraz in perfect balance with well-concealed tannins and a 60-second, pure finish. Give it 6-8 years and drink it through 2035. The Kaesler family, of Silesian origin, emigrated to the Barossa in the 1840s. The winemaking is in the hands of Reid Bosward and Stephen Dew. Importer: Ben Hammerschlag, Epicurean Wines, Seattle, WA; www.kaesler.com.au; Also tasted: 2007 Semillon “Old Vine” (84)
About the Producer
Privately owned by the family, Kaesler has a rich history of vineyards dating back to 1893, many of which are old vines. The Kessler family first settled in the Barossa Valley in 1840, purchased part of the valley in 1891 and began their first grape plantings in 1893, with vineyards planted with Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, Riesling and Semillon. The family members of Kessler Winery have been accompanying the growth of Kessler estate until Kessler Winery was sold in 1986, and finally the winemaker and his business partner bought the winery in 1998, and they also He is the third-generation owner of Kessler Winery. Originally, the estate, including buildings and vineyards, totaled only 26.3 acres. But in 2001, the estate was expanded when they acquired the 28.5-acre vineyard next door. The backbone of the region's complex, intense wines comes from Kessler's non-irrigated, knobby vines. The winery is dedicated to producing high-quality wines with strong flavours, grown and brewed on family estates. At the same time, Kessler Winery produces limited quantities of its wines in order to guarantee its unique character, creativity and quality in winemaking. The incomparable complexity and charm of these highly acclaimed wines makes their rather rare production invaluable.
