Berton Vineyard The Bonsai High Eden, 2019

The Bonsai has moody aromas of dark fruits, coal, graphite, smoke, vanilla and coconut. Slightly lighter in structure than previous vintages, it has nice juicy black fruit flavours followed by a firm acidity. It has supple tannins and a fine texture. 2019 was a drought year – the dam at Bob’s High Eden estate ran dry – and produced the smallest crop since planting. A blend of 77% Shiraz with 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, it was matured in a combination of new and old French and American oak barrels for 14 months. The Bonsai vineyard in the High Eden subregion of Barossa Valley was planted by Bob and Cherie on a plot purchased in 1996. The plot is at 450 metres and is subject to wind as well as lots of summer sunshine. At the time of planting, there was no dam and no water for irrigation – the young vines struggled to survive let alone grow shoots and canes – a visiting Swedish friend joked that they looked like Bonsai plants: the name stuck. It is a beautiful and remote spot.