2018 First Eleven Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
Situated on the southern boundary of Coonawarra (Aboriginal for Honeysuckle), the old Penola Cricket Ground first saw a ball bowled in anger and the flashing cover drives of local champions in 1950 but was retired in 1996. The Barry family purchased the 30 acres of vacant land in 1997. To preserve the a little piece of the of Coonawarra cricketing history, the original pavilion was retained, and the vines, first planted in 1999, were positioned around the cricket pitch.
The First XI honours the legends of Australian cricket. Those elite sportsmen who have achieved the distinction of representing their country at the highest level - the best of the best. To honour this standard, the First XI is only produced in exceptional years. This 2018 release is the tenth since the inaugural 2005 vintage. So, when you next enjoy a glass of First XI, toast the legends for whom this wine is named. Those who have have made it to the top of their craft.
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First released in 2005 and only created in exceptional years, this small-batch wine represents the best of the best we can grow in Coonawarra. The rows are orientated north-south to allow the vines to catch the afternoon sun, with the long summers and cool nights helping to develop flavour intensity and allowing tannins to ripen.
We have thought outside of the 'pitch' when it comes to creating the First XI bottle, with our premium Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coonawarra making stylish references to the game of cricket. We hope you enjoy the stark red bottle top with the white stitching to represent a red cricket ball. The reference to First XI represents a cricket team's First Eleven players selected to represent their nation, the best of the best, just like this wine. We have also chosen a bottle shape that has certain similarities to a cricket bat.
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