Whicher Ridge 'Une Rangée' Petit Verdot 2016
Primary flavours
Black Cherry
Dark Plum
Purple Bramble Berries
Bay Leaf
Mocha
Spice
Vanilla
Violet
Details
The 'Une Rangée' or in English ‘one row’ is a row of Petit Verdot that grows on the family vineyard at Whicher Ridge. Neil and Cathy have a sweet spot for Petit Verdot and they have thrown the gamut at this wine. The 2016 edition produced only 120 dozen bottles, all matured in French oak. The wine is a nice balance of oak and dark cherries and plums with tight tannin structure.
Whicher Ridge is located in the seaside town of Busselton, two and a half hours drive from Perth, along the stunning Geographe Bay. Aside from extremely long jetties and the ideally flat but still painful Ironman course, Busselton is part of the emerging wine region of Geographe. The region gets its name from the ship that Nicolas Baudin sailed on when he was mapping the coastline of Australia. Neil and Cathy Howard are the delightful team that run Whicher Ridge with a focus on classic West Aussie varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Both have many years of experience working across Australia in the wine industry before coming to the conclusion that Western Australia is a great place to call home and settled on their ideal vineyard in 2003. The winery sources fruit from their estate as well as from Margaret River and Great Southern with their flagship wines being Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and a complex Sauvignon Blanc.
Whicher Ridge is located in the seaside town of Busselton, two and a half hours drive from Perth, along the stunning Geographe Bay. Aside from extremely long jetties and the ideally flat but still painful Ironman course, Busselton is part of the emerging wine region of Geographe. The region gets its name from the ship that Nicolas Baudin sailed on when he was mapping the coastline of Australia. Neil and Cathy Howard are the delightful team that run Whicher Ridge with a focus on classic West Aussie varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Both have many years of experience working across Australia in the wine industry before coming to the conclusion that Western Australia is a great place to call home and settled on their ideal vineyard in 2003. The winery sources fruit from their estate as well as from Margaret River and Great Southern with their flagship wines being Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and a complex Sauvignon Blanc.
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Taste Profile
This wine’s tasting notes.
Sweetness
lowmediumhigh
Body
lightmediumfull
Fruitiness
nonesomelots
Tannins
lowmediumhigh
Acidity
lowmediumhigh
Oak
nonesomelots
Alcohol
low
(under 12%)medium
(12-14%)high
(14%+)
Taste Summary
This wine’s tasting notes are leaning towards medium bodied, low sweetness, with low acidity, some fruitiness, medium tannins, high alcohol and lots of oak.
Specs
Region
Geographe
country
Australia
Grape type
Petit Verdot
Wine Maker
Whicher Ridge
Alcohol
14%
Vintage
2016
Cellar period
3-5 years
Production method
Vegan
State
WA
Pairing guide
Petit Verdot is another of those red wine varieties we feel remains a little underrated here in Australia, but it’s quickly gaining a real following on the back of some seriously tempting releases - just like this one from Whicher Ridge. It’s a boldly-flavoured number, and it’s going to be ideal with steak dishes, Tex-Mex classics like beef or lamb tacos with charred corn, lamb casseroles, and smoked tofu or seitan with brown rice and beans. Chinese barbecued pork, chilli con carne, lasagna, blue cheese sauces and game meats like venison and kangaroo will also definitely provide memorable pairings to explore.
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Food
Saucy Dishes
Eggplant
Rustic French Cuisine
Tastes
Crisp
Fruity
Rich
Moods
Contemplative
Mood for something different
Seasons
Spring
Cooler Months
Recipe Matches
Wine region
Geographe, Australia
Geographe is a wine region located in the South West region of Western Australia (40 minute’s drive Northeast of Margaret River). It has a Mediterranean-style climate with warm, dry summers and mild, winters, which is ideal for growing grapes. The soils are predominantly sandy loams, providing good drainage and nutrient levels for the vines, and some vineyards have access to the permanent water table 15m below.
It is known for producing high quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Shiraz. Compared to nearby Margaret River, Cabernet Sauvignon from Geographe tends to have distinctly fine gain and lingering tannins. The region has seen a rapid growth of boutique producers in recent years, aided by its proximity to Geographe Bay, which is home to a world-class food and wine scene, but attractions like Busselton Jetty, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and gorgeous seascape panoramas.
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