2018 Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is the ultimate expression of the Balnaves family’s vineyards. Among his many pursuits, Doug Balnaves was a shearer of Merino sheep. A shearer in Australia is paid by the number of sheep he shears. Counted every two-hour period, the Tally is recorded in the Tally book. The higher the Tally, the greater the recognition among his peers for skill and hard work. As an expression of this tradition, the Balnaves family see the wine ‘The Tally’ as the ultimate achievement.
Vintage 2018 was warm and relatively early, with dry conditions and well-matured tannins allowing for wines to be left on skins for extended maceration. Cabernet Sauvignon from the Dead Morris vineyard (92%) was hand-picked on the 3rd of April and co-fermented with Dunstan Petit Verdot (8%). Following a 10-day ferment, the Tally had an extended maceration of 16 days on skins before pressing to oak. Matured for 15 months in fine-grained Taransaud Château barriques (40% new).
Deep red in colour, the nose has fine lifted red and black fruits, spice and some forest floor leady notes adding complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with complex black fruits and a fine tannin structure lending a long supple finish. An elegant expression of a single ferment. – Jacinta Jenkins, Balnaves