Cape d’Estaing

Winemaker: Mike Farmilo, Robin Moody

Kangaroo Island is one of the most beautiful locations in Australia. It’s right off the coast of Adelaide and when you stand on the Southern Shore all you see is water between you and the South Pole. It’d be like an island in the Mediterranean, except you get cool ocean influences so none of those over-ripe, pruny qualities characteristic of the wine made on the hot islands in the Mediterranean. This is a brand new viticultural region that is raising eyebrows right out of the gate. Cape d’estaing wines are made in the vineyard, with super small yields and a commitment to quality. They produce a Shiraz and a Cabernet Sauvignon with all the grapes grown in a 6-year old, 25-acre vineyard on the north coast of Kangaroo Island the vines have been spur pruned and trellised on a single-wire system. They have also produced what is known as the “Admiral’s Reserve” Shiraz. Like the regular bottling it is all from selected barrels of Kangaroo Island fruit which was limited to a total production of 125 bottles in 1998. These selected barrels are from the “regular” Shiraz and are only bottled in magnums.