2024 Patrick Sullivan 'Carousal' Sangiovese

Producer: Patrick Sullivan  |  Region: Central Victoria  |  Grape: Sangiovese

About The Wine

The wine is a vibrant ruby, boasting an enticing nose that features aromatic notes of red cherry, maraschino and raspberry and subtle hints of dried Mediterranean herbs. It delivers bright, savoury sangiovese fruit balanced by lively acidity and classic dusty tannins with underlying red spice and ginger tones, leading to a deliciously satisfying finish. An immensely enjoyable wine, full of juicy character.  

Vineyard

Tim and Mark Walpole embarked on their winemaking journey in 1989 when they established an 18-hectare vineyard at Whorouly South, near Myrtleford in Victoria’s Alpine Valleys region. They chose the site for its north-east orientation and its ideal well-drained gravel and red loam soils. Their initial planting included tempranillo in 1996, followed by sangiovese, which was grafted in 2009 using the superior Mat 6 and Mat 7 clones.

Today, Tim and Mark operate the vineyard as a family partnership, with Tim overseeing the Bungamero Vineyard in Whorouly South, and Mark managing the Fighting Gully Road Vineyard in Beechworth. Beyond their vineyard operations, they also run a sheep and dairy farm on the property, reflecting their diverse agricultural interests.

Winemaking

The sangiovese is selectively harvested and transferred with care to a large open fermenter with whole berries intact. A single remontage per day further lengthens the fermentation provided by the whole berries. The grapes are then pressed off to old barriques after four weeks to allow for a short period of ageing before bottling.

About Carousal

Carousal (noun) / “kuh” + “ROW” + “zuhl”
1. A wild, drunken party or celebration: The act of celebrating or enjoying yourself, usually by drinking alcohol and speaking and laughing loudly with other people. Example: ‘The tavern was filled with the sounds of laughter and carousal late into the night.’

Carousal is all about fun times and coming together, featuring premium wines from beyond Patrick’s usual Gippsland base. By selecting varieties that thrive in their ideal growing regions across Australia, Patrick proves again he’s a master of all grapes and enjoys the challenge of stepping outside his usual laser beam focal point of Chardonnay.

Snapshot

Region: Alpine Valleys, VIC

Country: Australia

Alcohol: 13%

Vintage: 2024

Size: 750ml

Closure: Screwcap

Varietal: Sangiovese