Saltram is one of the great names in the Barossa Valley. Based at Nuriootpa Road, just one kilometre from Angaston, Saltram’s history goes back to 1844 when William Salter arrived from Exeter, England and settled in the Barossa Valley, constructing the ‘Mamre Brook’ homestead and establishing vineyards. In the history of Saltrams, there have only been eight senior winemakers, with two families dominating – the Salters and the Dolans. The legendary Peter Lehmann had a profound influence on the quality of Saltram’s wines during his tenure from 1960 to 1979.

The 2006 Saltram ‘Mamre Brook’ Shiraz was made by Nigel Dolan, with Saltram since 1979, taking the reins in 1992 as chief winemaker. It is archetype Barossa Shiraz, made from Barossa and Eden Valley fruit, fermented in traditional open top fermentors to 15.5% alc. and aged in new and seasoned French and American oak barrels for 16 months. Impenetrable purple-red in colour, this is a wine of silky softness, warmth and richness, showing sweetly, ripe. blackberry, liquorice, spice and chocolate flavours with smoky, vanilla oak nuances on a supple, rounded and ripe palate. Drinking beautifully now, the richness of the wine will enable it to age another 5-8 years. However, there are few wines that offer such immediate gratification; it is quite irresistible now. The retail price of $20.05 makes it a veritable bargain. RC Nov 09

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