Blackjack Chortles Edge Shiraz 2017
Style: Red Wine
Closure: Screwcap
Blackjack Chortles Edge Shiraz 2017
Camberwell
Burke Road
Camberwell VIC 3124
Australia
Producer: Blackjack
Country: Australia
Region: Bendigo
Vintage: 2017
Critic Score: 91
Alcohol: 13.5%
Size: 750 ml
Drink by: 2027
The Blackjack Winery produces some of the Bendigo region's best Shiraz and has a large and loyal following. Lovers of full-bodied, rich flavoured Victorian wines will not be disappointed. Blackjack's core range is the Estate grown wines, namely, the Blackjack Shiraz, the Block 6 Shiraz and the Blackjack Cabernet Merlot. These wines are supported by the Chortle's Edge Shiraz which comes from local Bendigo vineyards. The winery lovingly call it their 'Monday to Thursday' wine.
"It is supple, fresh and good drinking." James Halliday
Expert reviews
"Blackjack keeps it real. In a good way. Seems fresher and (slightly) lighter than previous editions but it's none the lesser for it. It's still creamy and plum-shot and it boasts excellent texture and flow. It just tips into licorice territory, pretty much always a good thing. Value once again is very good. Drink: 2019 – 2024." Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 91 points
"The junior brother, emanating from local Bendigo vineyards, first made in '98 when frost decimated the estate vineyards, made as a lighter drinking style ever since. Spends 22 months in oak, but with less new oak. It is supple, fresh and good drinking. Drink by 2027." James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 90 points
About the winery
Winemakers Ian McKenzie and Ken Pollock
Ian McKenzie and Ken Pollock planted vines in 1988 on the Blackjack Vineyard, an old apple orchard in the Harcourt Valley in the foothills of Mt Alexander. Although just south of Bendigo, the climate is considerably cooler, and normally blessed with 'Indian Summer' autumns – cool nights and warm clear days – that allow the grapes to slowly ripen. The soil is mostly very old granitic soil that is not overly fertile. The vineyard is hand-pruned and hand-harvested.
In 1998 a special patch of Shiraz vines, Block 6, was planted on Castlemaine sandstone gravel, rather than the old granitic soils of the other vines. The different soil and a different clonal material result in a wine closer to the French Rhône style.
BlackJack Wines is named after an American sailor who jumped ship during the Gold Rush era of the 1850s. In search of his fortune, BlackJack found his way to the Castlemaine Goldfields and into the history of the region, with a road adjacent to BlackJack vineyard still bearing his name.
Blackjack’s core range is the Estate grown wines, namely, the Blackjack Shiraz, the Block 6 Shiraz and the Blackjack Cabernet Merlot, supported by Chortle’s Edge Shiraz, which the winery lovingly call their 'Monday to Thursday' wine.
Victoria
Victoria is home to more than 800 wineries across 21 wine regions. The regions are Alpine Valley, Beechworth, Bendigo, Geelong, Gippsland, Glenrowan, Goulburn Valley, Grampians, Heathcote, Henty, King Valley, Macedon Ranges, Mornington Peninsula, Murray Darling, Pyrenees, Rutherglen, Strathbogie Ranges, Sunbury, Swan Hill, Upper Goulburn and Yarra Valley.
Victoria's first vines were planted at Yering in the Yarra Valley in 1838. By 1868 over 3,000 acres had been planted in Victoria, establishing Victoria as the premier wine State of the day. Today, the original vineyards planted at Best's Wines are among the oldest and rarest pre-phylloxera plantings in the world.
Victoria's climate varies from hot and dry in the north to cool in the south and each wine region specialises in different varietals. For example, Rutherglen in the north is famous for its opulent Muscats and Topaque and bold reds, while the many cooler climate regions near Melbourne produce world class Chardonnay and pinot Noir. Victoria is truly a wine lover's playground.