Here we have the Red Blend of the peak Cloth Label wines. The Cloth Label wines of Moorilla pay homage to the founder of the Estate, Claudio Alcorso. You can read more about him on my review of the last release.

This release is a blend of fruit from the St Matthias vineyard in the north of Tasmania, overlooking kanamaluka/Tamar River. The final blend is Pinot Noir (35%), Shiraz (33%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Cabernet Franc (11%) and 1% Riesling for a point of difference. Winemaker is Conor Van Der Reest.

Moorilla, Cloth Label, Red Blend, Tasmania, 2017

A medium garnet hue. An amalgam of aromas: spice and fruit with savoury, dusty base. There’s cherries, small plums tart sweat, tobacco, blackberry leaf, meaty/animal depth, Chambord* and licorice. Betwixt and between from a palate weight: heavier than Pinot Noir but not as weighty as a Shiraz or Cabernet. Retains angular Pinot Noir structure (helped by the Riesling?) with dusty and furry tannins via the Cabernet components through a long finish. Flavours dance between tart cherry and bright plum to deeper Shiraz-esque leather and meat. There’s a tinge of herbal lift moving between spiciness and sappiness, but it adds to the overall uniqueness of the wine.

RRP: $75
Alc: 13.6%
Rating: 93/100

Wine sample courtesy of Moorilla