Turkey Flat's brand new 1847 vines flagship declares its greatness and longevity not by intensity but by calm, seamless balance. It's refreshing to see a top end Barossa Shiraz that focuses on freshness, expression of fruit and fragrance rather than magnitude, a guise that allows the expression of its ancient site to shine.
97 points
Tyson Stelzer. WBM November/December 2015
In 1847 Johann August Frederick Fiedler planted shiraz vines (amongst 72 varieties of grape vine) on his property at 'Turkey Flat'.
It was the preservation of the same vines in the face of the 1987 vine pull scheme which prompted the Schulz family (now 5th generation owners of the Turkey Flat property) to begin a new more personal approach to winemaking. Thus, after years of hard work bringing the garden back to life, in 1990 Turkey Flat Vineyards was born.
Naming 'The Ancestor' refers, of course, to our own Ancestors who purchased the Turkey Flat property in the 1870s, although interestingly the vines themselves are classified as 'Ancestor' vines by the Barossa Old Vine Charter. The distinctive script on this label has been taken directly from the 1888 Schulz family butchers ledger, discovered while restoring their shop to become our Cellar Door in 1992.
The Ancestor is an extremely limited release and will be made only in exceptional years.
This shiraz is the result of an exceptional vineyard and vintage combined with very simple winemaking. The wine was vinified in an open fermenter before being transferred to French oak Hogsheads for maturation. At the the time of Turkey Flat Shiraz classification the 1847 Shiraz the very best old and new barrel of the 1847 block were chosen. The wine remained in barrel for a further 12 months & aged 12 months in bottle prior to release.
The Ancestor is the epitome of the Turkey Flat style. Balance, poise and purity are hallmarks. An exceptional wine that guarantees to reward the owner for a generation to come.
Download: Tasting notes and info pack.
Turkey Flat's brand new 1847 vines flagship declares its greatness and longevity not by intensity but by calm, seamless balance. It's refreshing to see a top end Barossa Shiraz that focuses on freshness, expression of fruit and fragrance rather than magnitude, a guise that allows the expression of its ancient site to shine.
97 points
Tyson Stelzer. WBM November/December 2015
Deep, dark red/purple colour and a dense, brooding, dark fruit and smoky, savoury bouquet, with subdued black fruit nuances. Very rich, dense, smooth-tannined palate with luxurious depths and fleshy texture. A gorgeous wine. From one of the Barossa's (and the world's) oldest shiraz plantings, 165 years old in 2012.
96 points
Huon Hooke www.huonhooke.com
For the first time, Turkey Flat has produced a shiraz grown entirely on the estate’s 1847-planted vineyard. These are of course some of the very oldest shiraz vines in the world. Rarity value here is enormous.
It’s not a wine of great heft but it is a wine of power. It’s woven with earth and Asian spice but the core is all succulent black berries, liquorice root, smoked cedar and an assortment of roasted meats and nuts. Oak plays an important role but its integration with the fruit is acute. Tannin melts through the second half of the wine. I wouldn’t call it showy, but I would call it beautiful.
95 points
Campbell Mattinson The Wine Front
This is the first release of a wine made entirely from the estate's 1847 shiraz planting. It is all about finesse, length & balance, not naked power; it is supple, medium-bodied and nonchalantly carries the full array of black fruits and finely spun savoury tannins of the ancient vines; oak is no more than a vehicle.
96 points