The Jovial 2018

THE JOVIAL 2018

This Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc pays homage to founder Ian Tyrer, one of the industry's great characters who died some years back. This is super concentrated with a mass of blackcurrant fruit showing a little mulberry and prune influence. Plenty of oak has been worked into it to build structure. It's already complex and will benefit from decanting at this stage to allow excellent fruit qualities to emerge. Cellaring potential 20 years. 

95/100 Ray Jordan

CABERNET SAUVIGNON, MERLOT AND CAB FRANC

'Last made in '04, after the passing of Dad' says winemaker, Kim Tyrer. Made for Ian Tyrer, founder of Galafrey wines, this is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc, from the brilliant '18 vintage. Savoury, dense and packed with dark chocolate, new leather and cigar spice, this is a powerful wine. Traditionally styled, firm and savoury. Will likely look more complete when it is a bit older – one to collect and put away.

Erin Larkin 92/100

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Alcohol 14% a/v, 

TASTING NOTES
The Jovial 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc in a bold, brooding, rich form. It's no featherweight, solid stuff. Dark cassis and black cherry with a plethora of savoury nuisance ranging from mint to bay, cedar to leather and oaky spice. Rippling with rich dark fruit, concentrated stuff, flecks of ripe berry brightness, woody spices, cedar, earthiness, firm tannins, very balanced, very good-

The Jovial pays homage to Ian Tyrer, the founder of Galafrey Wines in 1977 and one of the great pioneers of Mount Barker Wine Region. In 199 Ray Jordan wrote in The West Australian about the first time he meet Ian Tyrer, Ray described Ian as “one of the wine industry’s real characters but the jovial, brash exterior masks a man who is deadly serious about his wine.”

The Jovial is a wine like many of the wines of Galafrey range. It is big, bold and lashings of character. Made in the Bordeaux style it has powerful fruit on the nose and palate that shows mulberry, cassis and black current flavours with firm structure that will see to live for years

Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 20% and Cab Franc 15%

VINEYARD

Fruit sourced from our 45-year-old 12 hectare Dry Grown Vineyard. Our old vines are not irrigated; something quite unusual in these days of mass commercial production. Having smaller fruit fosters an intensity of the flavour, with most of the colour and tannin of the grape being concentrated in or near the skin. The characteristically cool climate of the district ensures slow ripening of the grapes, which also allows for the development of rich flavour and quality grape juice. Grown on ancient gravely loams, our old vines are all cane pruned and yield 2 tonne per hectare. Galafrey harvest their grapes from mid-March to late April depending on the season.

VINTAGE COMMENTS

V18 started very quickly but with no disease or weather pressure we were able to have extra hang time for all wines especially reds resulting in higher-than-average alcohols and ripeness. The Great Southern area will be showing great ripeness and power not often seen in our wines. Look for great floral aromas in whites, intensity, and power in reds.

WINEMAKING
Mechanically harvested these dry, cool to mild climate grapes of the Great Southern region will produce classic Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc wines with great depth of flavour and structure. We endeavour through meticulous viticulture and wine production sympathetic to the vintage conditions to produce a wine that will express varietal characters in tune with its sense of place. Left of Skins as long as possible to ensure depth of colour and flavour our winemaking is geared toward producing a wine that is harmonious, interesting, well-structured and most importantly drinkable, with a minimum of two years in quality French oak.