2013 Mr. Riggs The Chap Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale Coonawarra

With over a quarter of a century of winemaking experience, Ben Riggs is well established under his own banner. Ben sources the best fruit from individual vineyards in McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, Langhorne Creek, Coonawarra, and from his own Piebald Gully Vineyard (shiraz and viognier). Each wine expresses the essence of not only the vineyard, but also the region's terroir. The vision of the Mr Riggs brand is unpretentious and personal:?to make the wines I love to drink'. He drinks very well. 

Mr. Riggs can be summed up in two words; Winemaker's Wine. Built on the winemaker's long held dream to make icon wines from icon regions, the wines express the essence of the vineyard and variety in a style that is big, rich and complex, but also with finesse, texture and elegance. Based in his beloved McLaren Vale, Ben Riggs also teams up with renowned growers from other tried and tested regions including Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra and Langhorne Creek. 

Combining winemaking skills and a great deal of viticultural involvement, it is from these vineyards he is able to select pristine parcels of fruit, be it McLaren Vale Shiraz, Watervale Riesling, Adelaide Hills Tempranillo, Coonawarra Cabernet or something new and different entirely to express his winemaking ability and creativity.

James Halliday Wine Companion

Components of the 2013 Mr. Riggs The Chap were fermented in traditional open fermenters, and following pressing, finished their fermentation in oak; approximately 80% was French and the balance American, 35% of which was new oak. Vineyard parcels were kept separate during fermentation and maturation and were blended three months prior to bottling. With a full two years in barrel the wine was then bottle aged and released when near its prime. The wine is fine, elegant, stylish and structured akin to what was once known as “claret”. Enjoy now, or cellar for another 10 years.