2017 Massena Caviste Blend, Barossa Valley

Shiraz, Primitivo, Petite Sirah & Tannat, Barossa Valley

A welcome new addition to Massena's youthful, earth-to-glass range, which also takes in the Rosé, Primitivo and Fruit Salad Block blend. Caviste is French for cellar person, and sees Jaysen Collins and co. picking out a unique blend each year, from the myriad blending batches that pass though their Greenock cellars. The inaugural selection is a blend of 85% Shiraz, 5% Primitivo, 5% Petite Sirah and 5% Tannat, based on Western Ridge fruit. Each parcel in the blend was fermented using indigenous yeast and the wine goes to bottle unfined, unfiltered and with minimal sulphur. Before we hand over to Jaysen, we'll just say that Massena's goal to craft a red blend "high on freshness, complexity and most of all, enjoyment" has been superbly realised with this year's Caviste.

Winemaker notes: High-end black pepper and cake spice are interwoven amongst rose water and Turkish delight nuances. A briary, brambly and earth-like undertone is offset with vanilla bean and raspberry sweetness. A real ferrous and graphite minerality leads the palate with tart cranberry and plum-like red and black fruits giving a piquancy that is definitely moreish.