Tasting Notes

Not yet available - due to be released 2009

Technical Notes

• Technical Data:
• pH: 3.40
• Acidity: 5.50 g/l
• Sugar:2.50 g/l
• Alcohol: 13,5% Vol.
• Stainless steel. No Malolactic.
• Harvest: 1st week of April.
• Vineyard located in Cafayate, Salta. 80 year old vines.

Reviews

Wine Advocate #192

The Cabernet Sauvignon Ashmead Elderton Estate comes from a single block on the estate planted before WWII. Cameron informed me that it’s difficult to get more than ½ ton per acre out of these vines. The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Ashmead Elderton Estate was matured in 100% new French oak hogsheads for 18 months. Medium garnet-purple in color, it has an intensely scented nose of cassis, earth, cloves and pencil shavings plus nuances of game and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and opulent in the mouth, the complex flavors are exquisitely balanced by firm fine grained tannins and a good line of acid. It finishes very long. The wine is still a bit tight and primary with the oak jutting out a touch so it’s recommended to keep this one 2-3 years and drink it 2013 to 2020+. Although the property was purchased by their grandfather, brothers Al and Cameron Ashmead are really the second generation of Ashmeads at the Elderton helm since it was their parents Neil and Lorraine that rose to the challenge of developing this into one of the Barossa’s top wineries. The first Ashmead vintage was in 1982. The jewel here is the 8 acre estate vineyard planted in 1894 by Samuel Elderton Tolley (one of the largest 100+ year old vineyards on the planet) that produces the Command Shiraz, with the 66 year old Ashmead Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard also giving exceptional fruit. Since 2003 they’ve had their own winery and now produce around 40-50000 cases per year with winemaker Richard Langford adeptly forging a range of predominately red wines from the good value end right up to the sought-after collectibles. (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)
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Estate Profile

Altivo is an exciting new project from an Estate with heritage dating back to the 1890s. The vineyard is planted on land purchased by the pioneering Eugenio Bustos. The 400 hectares under vine are about 1.5 hours drive south of the bustling regional city of Mendoza. It seems the perfect place to plant vines. With the Andes ever present to the west, an abundance of pure "melt water" when required, the vines are nurtured by long sunny days, and cool nights. The vineyard is essentially organic. Given the pristine environment there is little need for more than a few organic sprays per year. The greatest threat is hail. The oldest blocks are protected by netting to minimize damage.
The Altivo wines have a very distinctive character. They are bold in flavor, lush in texture and have great structure and length. The Altivo "Classic" wines are sourced from the younger blocks on the Estate, with the "Reserva" wines sourced from the mature blocks. Bold flavors. Lush texture. Great structure.

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