Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon – October New Releases

Barry Weinman: 22^nd October 2016

With Sauvignon Blanc, either alone or in combination with Semillon, the winemaker can have just as big an impact on the style as the terroir (vineyard location, soil weather etc.). The variations in style appear greater than with many other varietals.

Leaving the wine on its lees post fermentation (+/- stirring/batonage) as well as barrel fermentation and oak aging can impact in a number of ways. In small quantities (as little as 5% of the blend), this can add depth and texture to the wine.

As the proportion of the blend increases, the aromas and flavours can really change, moving away from the fresher, fruit-forward style to a powerful, serious wine that can show a variety of complex characters as well as obvious oak influences.

At the extreme, these wines can be challenging to drink, the minerality and secondary characters taking priority over the fruit. I prefer the middle ground, where the fruit is complemented by wonderful depth and complexity from the winemaking inputs.

In this month’s tasting, Fraser Gallop provided an excellent example of how good this style can be. The 2015 Paterre SSB has plenty of interesting characteristics, yet there is a core of quality fruit that offers immediate appeal.

In a different style, but equally enjoyable, is the Shaw + Smith. Here is a straight Sauvignon Blanc where the exuberant fruit really shines. The most enjoyable wine that I have tried under this label.

Reviewed

Fraser Gallop – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – Parterre – 2015 – (18pts – $35). This wine really stands out for both the quality fruit and the complex winemaking inputs. There is real depth and power here, with minerality, struck match and fresh lemon. The palate has a slightly viscous feel without being cloying. Excellent.

Shaw + Smith – Sauvignon Blanc – 2016 (17.8pts). Very youthful, with a touch of retained CO2 adding verve. This has exuberant fruit and supple grassy overtones and a touch of nectarine. Good mouth-feel and decent length make for an excellent drink. Will make you want a second glass.

Singlefile – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – Great Southern – 2016 (17.5pts – $25). A fresh, lively wine with balance and poise. There are tropical fruits and gentle lantana aromas. A supple mouth-feel, perhaps aided by a touch of barrel ferment, leads on to lemony acid on the finish. Delicious.

Coward & Black – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – 2016 (17.5pts). Floral fruit, with tropical and grassy notes. Good length and mouth-feel, with apricot kernel and nutty notes to close. Balanced and textured, suggesting a little lees work. Try it on a sunny afternoon this spring.

Flametree – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – 2016 (17.2pts). Fresh and light, with grassy fruit characters and gentle nuttiness. The palate is long, with gentle zesty notes. Excellent drinking now

Xanadu – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – Exmoor – 2015 (17pts – $18). An exuberant nose showing gooseberry, lantana, tropical fruit salad and passionfruit. The palate is fresh, with racy acid and tropical fruit lingering on the close. Not overly long, but moreish and an interesting alternative to a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Riesling – October New Release

Barry Weinman: 17^th October 2016

When it comes to Australian Riesling, Grosset sits at the top of the pyramid in terms of reputation, quality and price, with the Polish Hill now sitting around $50 per bottle.

There are several producers who are challenging the quality of Grosset. Interestingly, several of them come from the Great Southern region of Western Australia (including Mt Barker, Denmark, Frankland River and Porongorups).

Cherubino instantly comes to mind, however in this tasting, it was the turn of Singlefile to shine.

The 2016 Mt Barker Riesling is nothing short of spectacular. A great wine that is a bargain at $30. Like the Polish Hill, this is delightful in its youth, yet sure to age well for a decade or more.

Straight out of the bottle, the 2016 Great Southern Riesling is a little more obvious and approachable, providing a lovely contrast to the delicacy of the wine from Mt Barker. Excellent buying at $25.

There are similarities here to the way Grosset’s Springvale compares to the Polish HiIl.

The Vickery is another noteworthy wine, with the legendary John Vickery sharing his expertise (and name) with a new generation of winemakers. Great drinking.

Reviewed

Singlefile – Riesling – Mt Barker – Pearse Vineyard – 2016 (18.7pts – $30). A delicate floral bouquet with citrus, talc and musk characters. The palate has latent power, and is long, supple, subtle and fine, with brilliant mouth-feel. A superb wine now, or any time over the next 15 years.

Vickery – Riesling – Eden Valley – 2016 (18 – 18.5pts – $26). Straight out of the bottle, this is approachable and user friendly. With plenty of air, the inherent quality shines. A fantastic wine that has classic Clare Valley characters, along with a touch of green pear. So very drinkable, yet age-worthy.

Singlefile – Riesling – Great Southern – 2016 (18pts – $25). The palest of yellow colours. Floral fruit with sherbet and musk notes. The palate is vibrant, fruit driven and very long, with the acid perfectly balanced. The finish is near seamless and very satisfying. A lovely wine that is good to go any time over the next ten years.

Swinney – Riesling – Tirra Lira – 2016 (17.9). Relatively closed initially, but there is no denying the quality. This is both supple and subtle, with fresh acidity and a steely minerality, making for a great food wine. An excellent effort that will benefit from a few years in bottle.

Shiraz – October New Release

Barry Weinman: 1^st October 2016

The team at Xanadu continue to be in top form. This time it was a brilliant value Shiraz under the Exmoor label (new to me) that grabbed the panel’s attention.

Leeuwin Estate and Mount Langi Ghiran also provided great value drinks.

Unfortunately, the Yalumba Shiraz/Viognier was badly cork tainted. I continue to be surprised that wineries persist with using natural cork, when there are more reliable alternatives available. The Diam cork, for example, still gives the “romance” of pulling the cork, but is guaranteed to be taint-free. Then of course there are screw caps…

Reviewed

Izway – Shiraz – Bruce – 2013 (18.5pts – $45). Really interesting nose: Liquorice, spice, plum and inky fruit. This is restrained and taut, needing years for the fruit to open up. Long, fine tannins. An impressive, concentrated Shiraz.

Wynns – Shiraz – Black Label – 2013 (18.2pts). I like this wine a lot. Cool climate Shiraz that is ripe and focussed. There are red berry notes over earthy, textural components. Think plum, transitioning to blueberry. Texturing, tight knot oak and slightly dusty tannins close the fruit down initially. A very smart wine worthy of 10yrs in the cellar.

Xanadu – Shiraz – Exmoor – 2013 (18pts – $18). Lovely cooler region fruit, with white pepper and spice. On the palate the fruit is perfectly ripe and presents beautifully, the supple oak and dusty tannins adding depth and texture, without taking the gloss off the silky fruit. Near seamless, the acidity comes through on the close adding life. This wine is a bargain and will drink well any time over the next 10 years.

Leeuwin Estate – Shiraz – Siblings – 2013 (17.9pts). This wine really stands out. Rich fruit and earthy notes, yet balanced, with excellent structure and mo uth-feel. Fine tannins and oak build, adding depth and texture. Excellent value.

Mount Langi Ghiran – Shiraz – Billi Billi – 2013 (17.8pts). Quite dense and savoury fruit that is open and accessible. The tannins kick in at the end, leaving the finish drier than the Sahara dessert. Everything in place, this needs a hearty stew to bring out its best. Should be good value too.

Sandalford – Shiraz – Margaret River – 2015 (17.5pts). Another excellent effort from Sandalford. Menthol, herbal notes and spicy white pepper on the nose. The palate is relatively forward with the fruit the main focus. The tannins, acid and oak build on the finish. A good drinking mid-price red that could also cope with a few years in the cellar.

Giant Steps no longer an Innocent Bystander!

Barry Weinman: 14^th September 2015

The first vintage at Giant Steps was made by Steve Flamsteed back in 2003, and he has been making the wines ever since. The Innocent Bystander label was established as a second brand to give the winery critical volume, given the limited production of the top wines.

Innocent Bystanders has been a runaway success, with production rapidly increasing to the point where the winery is now at full capacity, leading to production being expanded off-site. The success is such, that there is still demand to justify increasing production further. Moscato production alone is estimated to be at 60,000 cases.

Following an opportune approach from Brown Brothers, the decision was made to sell off Innocent Bystanders, to allow the opportunity to rationalise and focus on Giant Steps. The aim is to organically grow Giant Steps with the introduction of the Yarra Valley range sitting below the single vineyard wines.

A second label is being introduced (Wild Run) to provide an everyday quaff for cellar door customers.

Whilst the Single Vineyard wines have received critical acclaim for a number of years, I was interested to see how the Yarra Valley range stacked up. So it was great to sit down with Steve over a quick lunch and look through some of the wines.

For me, the Pinot and Chardonnay were the standouts. Excellent wines that are available at a fair price.

N.B. This was not a blind tasting, so points are only an indication.

Reviewed

Giants Steps – Chardonnay – Tarraford Vineyard – 2015 (18.5pts – $45). Fine and creamy, with lemon, minerals, stone fruit, vanilla and spice. The palate is very long, rich and textured, yet remains remarkably fine and seamless. Made from the P58 clone of Chardonnay, off 26 y/o vines, the vineyard leased since 2005.

Giants Steps – Chardonnay – Yarra Valley – 2015 (18pts – $35). A touch broader and more open than the Tarraford. The palate is more linear, with taut, lemony acid adding drive and length. The texture builds in the glass. Does not have quite the same depth as the Tarraford initially, but this should build nicely in the bottle.

Giants Steps – Pinot Noir – Applejack – 2015 (18.5+pts – $50). Pretty floral fruit, with cherry and raspberry characters. The palate is superb, with silky texture, supple mouth-feel and great length and depth. Candied notes add interest, as does a touch of toast from the oak. (60% whole bunch fermented).

Giants Steps – Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley – 2015 (18 – 18.5pts – $35). This wine was quite closed on the nose initially, whilst the palate showed earthy notes, with cherry fruit and texturing oak. The mouth-feel however was a highlight. With air, this transformed. The pretty berry fruit really opened up on both the nose and palate, and was quite delicious. This will be great with an hour or two in a decanter, or a couple of years in the cellar.

Giants Steps – Shiraz – Syrah – 2015 (17.7pts – $35). This has really pretty fruit that is perfumed, floral and spicy. Lovely mouth-feel, with vibrant fruit giving way to savoury, earthy flavours. An excellent food wine, as the acidity drives the finish.

Giants Steps – Merlot – 2015 (17.5pts $35). From the Sexton vineyard. This is a ripping drink. The fresh, pretty berry fruit is complemented by elegant tannins and fine acidity. Why wait?

New Release

Barry Weinman: 21^st August 2016

Angove is one of the largest landholders in McLaren Vale, with over 400 acres of vineyards. Surprisingly, over 30% of the vineyards are certified organic, with the rest of the vineyards in the process of being converted.

This must make Angove one of the largest (if not the largest) producers of organic grapes in Australia. The outcome is a range of very smart wines under the “Organic” label. Here, it was the turn of the Shiraz/Cabernet to shine. An excellent effort that represents great drinking given that it can be picked up for $14 or less!

Shingleback have released yet another great value Shiraz under the Red Knot label.

Whilst a little more expensive, the wines from Wolf Blass (Grey Label), Claymore (GSM) and Shingleback (The Gate) really stood out. These are wines that can be enjoyed now, yet will comfortably cellar for a decade. They also represent value in their own way.

At the top end, watch out for the D-Block Reserve wines from Shingleback. These are statement wines that exude class and refinement. Great intensity and power, yet with a degree of elegance that is disarming. Bravo!

Reviewed – White

Leeuwin Estate – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – Siblings – 2015 (17.7pts). Fresh aromatics with tropical and herbal notes. Grassy, herbaceous fruit on the palate with plenty of zesty acidity, decent texture and great mouth-feel. Long and refreshing, this will be great served chilled in the warmer months.

Howard Park – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – Miamup – 2016 (17.5pts – $28). More tropical fruit here along with crunchy green pear. Light and fresh, with gentle aromatics and a soft, supple mouth-feel aided perhaps by a touch of barrel fermentation. Lemony fruit flavours linger. Very easy to drink.

Reviewed – Cabernet

Shingleback – Cabernet Sauvignon – D Block – Reserve – 2012 (18.6pts – $55). Impenetrable colour. Very concentrated fruit with blackcurrant and a touch of cassis. The palate is remarkably restrained, with the fruit the primary focus. That said, the quality oak and polished tannins build on what is a very long finish. Much like Penfolds 707, this is more refined, supple and elegant than might be expected, especially given the region’s reputation for Shiraz.

Claymore Wines – Cabernet Sauvignon – O – Bittersweet Symphony – 2014 (17.5pts – $25). Menthol and spice, along with dense blackcurrant fruit. Despite being closed, this shows excellent balance, with the mouth-feel aided by very fine tannins and oak. Long, this needs 10 years, but drinking well now. A fine wine.

Reviewed – Shiraz and Blends

Shingleback – Shiraz – D Block – Reserve – 2012 (18.7pts – $55). Whilst the fruit on the nose has lovely sweet berry characters, there is a savoury component that really adds interest. Tremendous depth and intensity of fruit, prodigious length of flavours, latent power and gravelly tannins. Liquorice, spice, souring acidity add interest, while the oak sits comfortably with the fruit. Will live for decades (cork permitting) but will also do justice to the finest steak you can get your hands on.

Wolf Blass – Shiraz – Grey Label – 2013 (18.5pts – $45). A rich and textured wine, with spicy, almost inky fruit. The fruit here is powerful and taut, with fine acidity and tannins shutting down the palate somewhat. The oak adds depth, but is not intrusive. A fine wine that will easily live for 20 years. Great value at under $35/bottle.

Shingleback – Shiraz – The Gate – 2012 (18.5pts – $35). Vanilla, coffee, cinnamon, mint and just a touch of menthol, over sweet, ripe fruit. The palate is bright, with the fruit carrying the length of the palate. The acidity builds as do the fine, chalky tannins. A lovely wine, though 5 – 10 years is required for it to reach its best. 9 Gold Medals.

Saltram – Shiraz – The Journal – 2010 (18.5+pts – $150). From 100 year old vines, this is fragrant, perfumed and pretty, with red berries and cherry fruit. Mint, along with a delicious streak of liquorice on the palate adds depth. A complex, ripe and skilfully crafted wine with no rough edges. Will live for decades if you are patient.

Claymore Wines – GSM – You’ll Never Walk Alone – 2015 (18.3pts – $20). Quality fruit. Fennel seed, cinnamon, vanilla seed and spice, leading to a palate that is supple, fine and elegant. The mouth-feel and balance are highlights. Near seamless, with great length. A supple, great value wine that can be enjoyed over the next decade.

Patritti – Shiraz – Lot 3 – Single Vineyard – 2013 (18.2pts – $30). Intense and powerful, this has ripe fruit with chocolate and coffee aromas, typical of McLaren Vale. The palate is chewy and textured, the tannins dominating the fruit somewhat, leading to a drying finish. A BIG wine that needs years or a decent steak.

Sandalford – Shiraz – Estate Reserve – 2014 (18pts). Plum, mulberry, cherry, silky spice. A super wine with great length. The flavours build, and I like the balance here; this is a wine with no rough edges, making for a great drink. Should also age well.

Angove – Shiraz/Cabernet – Organic – 2015 (17.9pts – $16). Pretty fruit on both the nose and palate with a hint of white pepper. Medium bodied, vibrant, succulent and juicy. A ripper of a wine that will be perfect with a bowl of pasta and is ready to go right now. A bargain!

Aravina Estate – Shiraz/Tempranillo – The A Collection – 2014 (17.8pts – $23). An unusual blend for Margaret River, this has concentrated, mid weight fruit. Opens with red berries, and plum notes, over cedar, spice and talc like tannins that coat the tongue and suppress the fruit somewhat. Good oak/acid balance. A very good wine that will happily take 5 years in the cellar.Shingleback – Shiraz – Red Knot – 2015 (17.6pts – $15). Vibrant, lively, fresh red berries with cherry, licorice and subtle spice. No obvious oak influences, yet the tannins frame the fruit nicely. An excellent drinking everyday red that will be just as happy on its own as with a lamb roast. Another great value wine under this label.

Leeuwin Estate – Shiraz – Siblings – 2013 (17.5pts – $25). Lighter style, focusing on savoury rather than overt sweet fruit. That said, the fruit quality is very good, as are the length and mouth-feel. A youthful, high quality wine that will provide excellent drinking over the next 5 years.

Plantaganet – Shiraz – 3 Lions – 2014 (17pts – $25). Really plummy fruit on the nose. The palate is bright and fresh, with little in the way of oak. Very fine tannins add depth, but allow the fruit to shine. This is a riper, less complicated st

New Release

Barry Weinman: 14^th August 2016

Every now and then, a wine comes along that is absolutely irresistible straight out of the bottle. On this occasion, it was the Angove Family Crest GSM that blew the panel away. Absolutely delicious and a bargain at $22.

The Patritti GSM showed the same basic characters, but presented them in a package that was a little more structured. Again, brilliant value.

To round out the value stakes, the Singlefile and Leeuwin Estate Cabernets at around $25 represent excellent buying. Wines that can be consumed now, or cellared for a couple of years.

Reviewed

Angove – Grenache/Shiraz/Mouvedre – Family Crest – 2015 (18 – 18.5pts – $22). The fragrant, pretty floral Grenache fruit expresses with plum, cherry and cinnamon spice. The palate is vibrant and fresh, the delicious fruit shimmering against a backdrop of texturing oak. The tannins are fine, adding to the lovely mouth-feel/texture. Good length and depth on the finish too. Supple and very moreish, this is a wine that needs no accompaniment. Everybody needs to try this wine!

Singlefile – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – Frankland River – 2014 (18pts – $25). Excellent value, medium-bodied red. Cool climate fruit characters on both the nose and palate, with menthol, spice and fine tannins. This is elegant and balanced, with near seamless plate transition. The length of flavours is noteworthy. Supple and approachable now, yet will happily cellar for a few years.

Voyager Estate – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – 2014 (18pts). Lighter, cooler region style, with menthol, herbal notes and red berry fruit. The palate is fine and long, with real depth. Another wine with near seamless palate transition. Acid rather than tannins drive the finish. Lingers.

Patritti – GSM – Gloria – 2013 (18pts – $18 on sale from the winery). Lovely fruit with real depth. Fragrant and floral, with spice and liquorice notes. The palate has fresh fruit, complemented by fine tannins and a touch of vanillin oak. Excellent length to close. A little more structured than the Angove, this is an impressive wine. A brilliant value wine that would be great with roast beef, or with 5 -10 years in the cellar.

Bird in Hand – Merlot – 2013 (18pts – $43). Really quite fine, with supple, elegant fruit on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied, restrained and taut, yet the fruit lingers. The tannins and oak add depth, but in no way dominate. Opens to show mulberry and spice. Excellent wine.

Leeuwin Estate – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – Prelude – 2012 (17.7pts). I like the balance here. Relatively forward berry fruit is nicely matched to savoury, cedary oak and fine tannins. Not overly dense or complicated, thus allowing the fruit to shine. Decent length to close. Great short-term drinking.

Castagna Wines

Barry Weinman – 5^th July 2016

The original vineyards at Castagna were planted by Julian Castagna in 1997 and are now certified Biodynamic. Winemaking is handled by Julian who has a strong desire to let the fruit and the region speak for itself. That said, if there is one similarity to all the wines, it is the textural way the wines express on the palate. There are plenty of winemaker’s influences, yet the elegant fruit is allowed to shine.

The fruit for the Growers Selection range comes from several local vineyards, whilst the Castagna range is all from the estate vineyards. All wines are sealed with a Diam cork, removing the risks associated with natural cork.

Given the praise that the wines of Castagna have received on the East Coast, it has always surprised me that their profile has not been higher in the West. That is set to change after a chance meeting of proprietor Julian Castagna with Rob Palandri from distributor Vranken Pommery, which led to a distribution agreement.

My favourites within the range are listed below, but also watch out for a really interesting Vermouth!

Reviewed.

Castagna – Chardonnay – Grower’s Selection – 2014. ($50). Complex worked characters as a result of extended aging in oak and on lees. Very attractive curry leaf minerality, stone fruit and struck match aromas. The palate is creamy and textured, yet with a degree of freshness and verve. The palate is very long, with pineapple acidity to close.

Castagna – White Blend – Harlequin – 2013 ($35). Floral and perfumed, with apricot, nectarine and hints of almond. The palate is textured, somewhat viscous and very delicious, with a slightly chewy finish. A wine with personality that will work well with food.

Castagna – Sangiovese – La Chiave – 2013 ($85). The Sangiovese is thought to be the Brunello clone. Cuttings were sourced from a vine in Mirtleford that was planted in the 1920s by a migrant from Montalcino. Lovely pepper and spice, with a silky mouth-feel. The finish is long, fine and textured, with the red fruits lingering for some time. Supple and delicious!

Castagna – Shiraz – Genesis – 2013 ($85). Vine cuttings came from 1850s plantings sourced from five vineyards in Victoria and McLaren Vale. Cinnamon, plum, licorice and savoury spice notes on the nose. The palate is dense, yet refined, with slightly chewy tannins. Almost feminine, this is remarkably approachable, but will live for years, courtesy of the excellent acid balance. Spent almost two years in oak and includes 2% Viognier.

New Release – May 2016

Barry Weinman: 21^th May 2016

Everyone loves a bargain; a wine that punches above its weight. A wine that drinks like a more expensive example. The good news for the bargain hunters is that Angove has hit the jackpot with its Long Row Cabernet.

I am not recommending this because it is cheap. This is a wine that drinks very well regardless of its price. A wine that I am happy to recommend to anyone who is looking for an uncomplicated red wine for that glass of wine mid-week, or to share with friends round a BBQ. That it will be available for under $10 makes it one of the wine-bargain of the year. (Dan Murphy has it for under $8).

The panel was unanimous in its praise for this wine. You could have heard a pin drop when the wine was unveiled; such was our amazement at the value being offered. I will be putting some in my cellar!

The Drayton’s Verdelho also caused quite a stir. This is a wine that offering so much more than a cheap NZ Sauvignon Blanc, yet Cellarmasters were selling it for $8.25. They have just switched over to the 2015 vintage, but if it is anything like the 2014, it will be a brilliant buy,

The Fume Blanc from Singlefile caused plenty of discussion. True to style, the (quality) oak stamps its presence on the palate, but at this early stage, it comes at the expense of fruit expression. I am sure that a few years in bottle will see this come into its own, and the $30 price tag seems very reasonable.

The SSB and Pinot Gris on the other hand, will be drinking a treat over the next year or two, and made the review below.

Reviewed

Angove – Chardonnay – Long Row – 2015 (16.2pts – $10). Smells like a proper Chardonnay, with quite ripe stonefruit characters. The palate has gentle creamy notes, hints of honey, musk and even a touch of minerality. The finish is clean and neutral, with a textural component that will work well with food. This is not a great wine by any means, but it is a good value quaff and great value for those on a tight budget.Drayton’s – Verdelho – Bellevue – 2014 (17pts – $9). Melon and citrus notes evolve on the nose. The palate is fresh and lively, with crunchy pear characters and well-judged acidity. The palate transition works very well and the length is noteworthy. Will accompany grilled squid or paella perfectly. (Cellarmasters has the 2015 for $8.25).

Singlefile – Pinot Gris – Pemberton – 2015 (17.5pts – $30). Very pale colour. Lovely floral fruit on the nose with pear and apple. The palate has excellent mouth-feel and texture, the fruit has hints of citrus and white peach. The slight phenolic grip, combined with fine acidity gives the finish drive and length.

Singlefile – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – Denmark – 2015 (17.5pts – $25). Enticing nose, with lantana, gooseberry, cumquat and musk. The palate is zesty, yet quite restrained, with the tropical fruit notes continuing on a very long palate. A smart wine indeed.Angove – Cabernet Sauvignon – Long Row – 2014. (17 – 17.5pts – $10). Whilst the origin of the fruit is not listed, this displays quite cool red fruits, with touches of herbs and mint. That said, there is clear varietal expression. The palate is mid weight and balanced, with fresh berry fruits combined with a herbal edge. A touch of cedar adds complexity, whilst the mouth-feel is supple and the length good. Surprising quality. A brilliant value dry red.

Howard Park – Cabernet Sauvignon – Abercrombie – 2013 (18.5+pts – $130). Whilst only medium bodied, there is amazing concentration to the fruit, with blackcurrant, cassis, menthol and a touch of fresh herbs. The palate is firm and structured, reminding me of fine Bordeaux. The length and persistence are exceptional. The cedary/vanillin oak and fine tannins shut down the fruit somewhat, put the potential is obvious. Needs ten years to hit its straps, and twenty would see this in its prime. Remarkable wine, but be patient.