2005 MadFish Carnelian Tasting Notes

Carnelian is a little known and little planted red grape variety developed in the 1970’s by the renowned Dr. Harold Olmo, Professor of Viticulture Emeritus at UC Davis California. Dr. Olmo was deeply interested in the interaction of climate, soil and grapevine variety in wine style and quality. This interest took him all over the world looking at potential viticultural sites and the varieties best suited to these sites, in fact Dr. Olmo recommended Margaret River as a potential premium wine region and was an integral impetus to the first plantings in this region. As part of his observations Dr. Olmo looked to plant breeding as a way to increase suitability of varieties to climate, he specifically intended to improve the performance of the noble variety Cabernet Sauvignon in the warm to hot areas of California which was at the time experiencing a massive increase in winegrape plantings. By crossing Cabernet Sauvignon with Grenache and Carignan Dr. Olmo developed Carnelian, a variety that exhibits the colour, tannin and flavour profile of Cabernet Sauvignon with greater acid retention in warmer climates. The variety appears to be highly suited to the Margaret River climate. 

This wine was made from 100% Carnelian planted in 2000 at the Leston vineyard in the Wilyabrup area of Margaret River. The grapes were harvested at full maturity and fermented in open topped vessels with twice daily pump overs to aid colour and flavour extraction. The wine was matured in French oak for 15 months.

The 2005 MadFish Carnelian demonstrates extraordinary depth of colour: a brooding, opaque crimson with a purple rim. The extraverted nose flags the grunt and power typical of Carnelian, typically with ripe blackberries, blood plum, dark chocolate, warm earth and olive notes. The palate is ripe, full and concentrated with a carry over of the intense berry fruits and a savoury herbal edge. Heroic tannins provide structure and balance with a vice-like grip and a mouth puckering finish. This is a big wine, very intense in character and concentration and would suit similarly rich food such as good rare red meats.

The cellaring potential of this wine is unknown being a new variety but the wine carries all the attributes of tannin, acidity and fruit concentration to suggest that it has considerable potential to benefit from ageing.