Sanguine Estate Wines - Heathcote — Attraction in Heathcote

Not often do you get to look behind the scenes at any renowned winery, let alone a prestigious one that could just as easily arrange tastings by appointment and focus on the macro. Sanguine do both. Proudly family run, this estate has gone from strength to strength and a key reason for this is the personal touch that exists in all facets of the business. Fast forward to what they consider their favourite event, the tasting and blending of select parcels of superb shiraz. The event is restricted to members who are rewarded for their loyalty and get the chance to blend the final wine that will be bottled and sold first to fellow members, the remaining stock to the public. At 95 points on average, it's not a wine that will be available long. This time we were guests of the RACV cellar, a magic little space perfect for the concentration needed. 4 parcels of shiraz from the Sanguine vineyards were avaiable for each member to blend...50% of any the maximum, 5% the minimum. Ultimately small groups vote for their favourite blend, which is then pitted against other group wines. The final vote becomes the much lauded shiraz that will sell out in mere months. Sanguine produces delicious, balanced, generous wines at a range of price points. If you can get your hands on the blend we selected this night, you will be buying highly perfumed shiraz that is redolant with violets, white pepper, red fruits, and is rich, layered with complex juicy red and plum fruit, some milk chocolate, some spice and elegant bramble. It's medium length and will definitely cellar for 5+ if you can keep your mitts off it. Pretty moreish though. If you ever get to attend this unique tasting and blending, do it. The joy of blending, the learning about parcels of different fruit from different alevations and perspectives, all handled beautifully, is quite unique. Plus...you take home 6 bottles of the blend you helped create. What's not to love?

Plenty of wineries are doing great things worldwide. Sanguine...

We once again attended the Sanguine Shiraz Blending night at the RACV Club. It was an outstanding evening and the very fact that we attended it again for the second year running is testament to the level of enjoyment and satisfaction we derived from our first attendence, we even added my daughter and son in law this year. It was a similar format to last year where we started honing our palette with samples of sweetened, tannined and acidity being added to 3 samples bench marked against the untainted wine. Working in groups of approximately 4 we proceeded to blend 4 excellent shiraz wines which were placed in front of us. Using a measuring beacon we commenced blending using a minimum 10% of any wine with a maximum 50%. Each person in the group did likewise, then we tasted each others before proceeding to another round of blending. Finally after 8 seperate blends each group selected their best and submitted their entrant for final judging. Each groups blends were then reproduced for the whole group to taste and finally vote on. The ultimate winner becoming the blend for the Wine Club vintage.

What a great night. Given that all previous Wine Club blends have achieved James Halliday ratings of 93 or more, I can hardly wait to drink the final blend, the only issue is having to wait for it to reach full maturity as it drinks so well early.

What a fabulous concept, beautifully presented and executed.

I would recommend to anybody who loves good...

We recently attended the 2017 Shiraz blending session at the Cellar Room RACV Club Melbourne. What a delightful experience and we feel privileged to be able to attend. It was an experience which far exceeded our expectations, from the initial 4 teasing glasses to the actual 4 very high class blending wines. It is very interesting to note than none of the 3 previously released club wines have never been rated less than 93 points by James Halliday, their first vintage receiving a covered 95 points. Needless to say this is no amature event where you are trying to creat something better by mixing inferior wines. You start with high class wines and to try to improve further. An excellent event, with excellent hospitality from a wonderful family who have an outstanding passion and...