History

A Cabernet/Shiraz/Merlot blend was added to our portfolio from the 1992 vintage. It was a belief that through blending only the best parcels of fruit from the Elderton vineyard, a truly wondrous and complete wine could be made that showed the highlights of the three grape varieties. The decision was made from the 2002 vintage onwards for it to be renamed (from CSM) in honour of the co founder of Elderton, Lorraine Ashmead. The winemaking team at Elderton believe this is truly the hidden gem in the Elderton portfolio of premium reds.

Winemaking

Good rains in spring 2005 and a cool December were replaced by a hot and dry summer. This brought vintage 2006 into gear relatively quickly with good fruit yield return, particularly from the Cabernet blocks. These favorable conditions, coupled with the use of open top concrete fermenters (chilled), hand pump-overs, cap submerging and barrel ferments, has made this a memorable wine for us. Expect vivid colour, deep flavour profile and precise balance of acidity to place the Ode to Lorraine in good stead for future cellaring.

Viticulture

Cabernet Sauvignon (several blocks planted between 1964 & 1994) Shiraz (several blocks planted between 1914 & 1998) Merlot (blocks planted 1982 & 1985)

Awards

•  International Wine & Spirit Competition - SILVER MEDAL
•  Perth Royal Wine Show 2009 - BRONZE MEDAL
•  London International Wine Challenge 2009 - BRONZE MEDAL
•  2009 Concours Mondial De Bruxelles - GOLD MEDAL
•  Decanter World Wine Awards 2009 - SILVER MEDAL

Reviews

•  Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar Sep/Oct ’08 Issue - Deep ruby-red. Brooding cherry, mulberry and spiced plum aromas are complemented by an exotic fig jam quality. Midweight dark berry flavours become richer with air, picking up suggestions of smoky Indian spices and candied flowers. Leaves spicy red and dark berry preserve notes behind on the strikingly long, penetrating finish. 92 points
•  92 Points - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate 2009 - The 2006 Ode To Lorraine reveals similar personality but with slightly more richness, depth, and length. It will benefit from another 2-3 years cellaring.
•  94 POINTS and Number 6 in the Top 25 of the year - Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh - “We’ve found a lot of delicious wines this year, and this is among the best of them. It’s warm and soft, and it fills your mouth with mocha-like, blackberried flavour, and as you swallow it your mouth feels as though it’s just received a drenching from heaven. As a red to warm up your winter, everything is positive about this full-flavoured wine."
•  Top 20 wines over $25 AUD, 4 STARS - ‘Dual Alliance’ Tasting by Nick Bulleid MW, Gourmet Wine Traveller Magazine - June/July 2009 issue. - Contains only a small proportion of merlot so just manages to meet our definition of the blend. Moechtar liked its ‘ripe red black fruits and nice floral aroma’. He also found ‘coffee from new oak, sandy, gravelly tannins on the finish and good length.’ This is a full-bodied wine that is developing a complex, cigar-box bouquet. Oak makes a contribution, but it has been well handled and the tannins are fine and balanced. It’s ready now and will age for several years.
•  James Halliday, 2010 Edition - Rating: 90 - A soft red and black fruit bouquet, with Christmas cake spice on display; the palate is soft and fleshy on entry, with good texture, chewy tannin and oak providing length on the finish.
•  92 POINTS - ROBERT PARKER’S WINE ADVOCATE, REVIEWS BY JAY MILLER - The purple-coloured 2005 Ode to Lorraine is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Shiraz, and 14% Merlot. The attractive nose exhibits smoke, spice box, cassis, black currant, and blueberry leading to a smooth-textured, easygoing, forward wine with plenty of spicy fruit and incipient complexity. Drink this seamless effort over the next eight years . The 2006 Ode to Lorraine reveals a similar personality but with slightly more richness, depth, and length. It will benefit from another 2-3 years of cellaring.
•  Nick Stock - Gourmet Wine Traveller June/July 2010 - The 2006 Ode to Lorraine has been reviewed by Nick Stock in '70 Reds to Remember'.
  "Distinctly Barossa, this cabernet shiraz merlot has poise and character, mixing dark berries, chocolate and asphalt. Plenty of flesh and charm, but underpinned with tannins to take it far, this is a stayer, for certain."