95 Pts Jay Miller - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Ashmead is a single vineyard selection aged for 18 months in new French 300-liter barrels (aka hogsheads). It offers up a superb bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, scorched earth, espresso, spice box, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. Opulent on the palate, it has gobs of succulent black fruit, well-concealed ripe tannins, impeccable balance, and a long finish. Cellar it for 5-7 years and drink it from 2014 to 2028." -95 points- Jay Miller- Wine Advocate

"Opaque ruby color. Powerfully scented bouquet of spicy red and dark berry liqueurs, cherry, mocha and incense. Lush and creamy on the palate, with flavors of blackberry, boysenberry and succulent herbs. Tannins slowly build on the focused, spicy finish." -91 Pts- Josh Raynolds- International Wine Cellar

WINE:
"The vineyard was planted in 1944, making the vines over 60 years old. The soil is deep alluvial silt over red and brown earths and limestone. Like the Command block, which is an amazing resource to the Elderton Estate, the Ashmead block has consistently produced small parcels of excellent quality fruit. The vineyard was almost destroyed in 1997 to make way for higher yielding vines, however the family made the decision to promote the vineyard to a higher destiny- thus the Ashmead. The 2006 is the eighth release of this unparalleled wine, and is a superior example of Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon aged in a mix of new French Oak Hogsheads from about 8 different coopers. The Elderton Estate is not unfamiliar with premium Cabernets, having won more than 8 trophies for this varietal including the 1993 Jimmy Watson Trophy." -Winery

WINEMAKER'S NOTES:
"'In 2006, favourable vintage conditions provided us with ripe, balanced fruit of vivid colour, deep flavour profile and precise balance of acidity. These elements were captured in the winery using manicured winemaking methodology, including the use of open top concrete fermenters, chilled ferments, hand pump-overs, cap submerging with oak header boards and gentle pressing.' -Richard Langford" -Winery

WINERY:
"Elderton Wines is a small, family owned and operated winery, situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley. The Elderton vineyard which was planted in 1894 by Samuel Elderton Tolley, was purchased by the Ashmead family in the late 1970's and started producing labelled bottled estate wine from the 1982 harvest."

"Elderton's winemaking philosophy has advanced a long way since our first vintage in 1982. We have gone from processing at a local contract wine processor to moving into our new state of the art winemaking facility in Nuriootpa in 2003...The wines that Elderton produce are true to their variety, balanced and classic in nature- they will stand the test of time if patiently cellared. Gone are the days where Elderton was known as producing wines that were heavily oaked. We source only the best French and American oak and all barrels are benchmarked annually by the winemaking team and the respective coopers to ensure that the oak that is purchased complements the wines' fruit components." -Winery