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2015 Massena The Howling Dog Saperavi

2015 Massena The Howling Dog Saperavi

Barossa Valley, SA

A wine for the lovers of the massive. This Saperavi is big but delicious!

$35.00

Out of Stock

SOLD OUT | CONTACT US FOR ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS
About

About The Wine

Saperavi can be a tricky beast to tame. It grows tiny berries with thick skins and red flesh which make thick, dark and tannic wines, generally with huge cellaring potential.

The trick is to maintain approachability with this variety, something the team at Massena have perfected over the last few vintages. This wine is gently caressed from the vine into bottle with the utmost care and skill.

Firstly, the fruit sits on skins for up to six weeks to allow the tannins to soften and integrate naturally. It then sees another six weeks in open fermenters as it undergoes a wild ferment in its own time. The final step is a gentle basket pressing before spending time in second and third use oak and being bottled without sulphur.

The result is a wine with power and elegance in spades. Impenetrable inky black in the glass, it is surprisingly enjoyable as a young wine, though will definitely reward the patient. Apparently, it was named after the little yelps that escaped the tasters mouths upon first encounters with barrel samples of this wine. 

About Massena

Part of the elite group of wineries in the ‘Artisans of the Barossa’ cellar door, Jaysen Collins’ label Massena is a force to be reckoned with.

After leaving their his day job at Turkey Flat Jaysen started his own brand in 2000 along with Dan Standish. Their mission was to produce wines that are in their own words “true to the Barossa style, being rich, warm and generous.”

Jaysen now flies the Massena plane solo. The wines have never looked better.

Additional Info

From The Producer

It took us a while to get this one right, when we were first experimenting with Petite Sirah the tannins were so pronounced that tasters actually started howling as it crossed their palate. We later planted other naturally tannic varietals Tannat and Saperavi, softening the tannins so the only howl we hear now is one of enjoyment. Taken from Dadd’s Block on the high side – sandy loam with long sunlight hours and low rainfall. The best of these varieties is selected each year, either on their own or as a blend.


Winemaking: Destemmed into open fermenters, left to spontaneously ferment, then pumped over sporadically for 10 days before some parcels see extended post fermentation maceration for up to 6 weeks. Extended skin contact integrates the tannins and produces a wine that is a lot softer and more approachable when young. Gentle basket pressing follows, with each vineyard parcel kept separate in 2nd and 3rd use French oak hogsheads until just prior to blending and bottling.

Blend : Saperavi (100%)
ABV : 13.50%
Closure : Screw cap
Drink Until : 2025
Bottle Size : 750ml

Expert Reviews

Critic Reviews

90Points
The Wine Front

"The Howling Dog label is about “celebrating varieties that have density and power”.This is so fresh it almost seems raw. It has that tank sample freshness to it; that purple crack of bare fruit flavour. Berries, foresty and spiced. A little chocolate. A lot of floral elements. And mouthwatering acidity. There’s tannin here, slightly twiggy but carried by fruit. It has drinkability writ large." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews
Delivery

Delivery is Free for any order over $149 or more, or just $10 for any orders of $149 or less. There is no minimum order quantity and you can mix and match as much as you like. Make your perfect mix pack!

Estimated delivery time frames with Australia Post can be viewed here. Please include Authority to Leave instructions in the ‘SPECIAL REQUESTS’ box during checkout if you may not be available to sign for your delivery and would like it left at your front door. The 'SPECIAL REQUESTS' box can be found on the cart page before the final checkout page.

Warehouse Pickup Due to some restrictions on our warehouse lease agreement and COVID concerns we are no longer offering Warehouse Pickup as an option and will be delivering all orders moving forward. Delivery is free (for orders over $149) and fast so please select one of our great delivery options at checkout. Sorry for any inconvenience caused by this change! The Different Drop Team.

Express Same Day Delivery is available for Sydney postcodes within 10km of the CBD. There is a $10 delivery surcharge and the order is needs to be placed before 12pm midday weekdays for same day delivery. Express courier deliveries cannot be left unattended and require a receiver signature.

Our Heat Policy can be viewed here. If you would like us to hold dispatch of your order for milder weather please leave instructions to do so in the 'SPECIAL REQUESTS' box found on the cart page before the final checkout. We are happy to hold it for as long as you like. All orders are fully insured so you can buy with full confidence that these tasty beverages will get to you in tip-top shape.

Returns are free for 100 days after purchase. You can view the conditions of our return policy here

For any other shipping related inquiries, please see our helpful FAQ, email us at hello@differentdrop.com or call us on 1300 668 385..

FaQs
Do I have to order in dozens?

No, please mix it up! You can order wines in any quantity and variation you like. You can order 1 bottle or 50. We challenge you to make the ultimate mixed pack of wine!

Are there volume discounts?

No our pricing is aiming to the best in the market already. For very large orders (weddings etc) we are open to negotiating though. Just give us a call. How does the price match work?

Everyday Low & Consistent Pricing is something we strongly believe in. We want our customers to feel confident they are always getting the best price. If you see a price lower somewhere else let us know and we'll match it. We'll even retrospectively refund you if you have already purchased from us but you see a lower price somewhere later on. Our price match policy can be seen here.

I am trying to add more of a wine to my cart but it won’t let me?

This means we are running low on stock of that wine. So for example, if the website will only allow you to add 3 bottles and no more, then that is all we have of that particular wine. The good news is we may be able to order more for you. Just contact us on 1300 668 385 or hello@differentdrop.com and we'll organise the additional quantity for you.

Does Different Drop have a physical store?

No, not really. More of a warehouse/office. We do however offer a Click & Collect option from our warehouse in Ultimo, Sydney. Our warehouse address for Click & Collect is: F5A, 42 Wattle St, Ultimo, 2007

Can I special order a wine you do not sell?

If it’s doable, then we’ll make it happen. Just contact us directly via phone, chat or email and we’ll find out for you right away. Please note that in most cases special orders such as these will need to be in full case lots (6 or 12 bottles).

More FaQs: here