Origin: Australia
Terroir: Coonawarra Estate

94% Cabernet Sauvignon / 5% Merlot / 1% Petit Verdot

First Growth is only produced when the growing season produces exceptional fruit quality, and when a particular vintage is deemed to have ageing potential beyond 15 years.

Traditionally, First Growth is predominantly made using Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from our Abbey vineyard, with some vintages containing a small portion of Merlot and/or Petit Verdot. It is a wine that proudly reflects the sub-region it is grown in, and is humbled by critical reviews including Langton's 'Excellent' Classification V, a 5-star winery rating from James Halliday and unfailing benchmark scores from international wine critics.

Since the release of the inaugural 1988 vintage, First Growth has set a benchmark for superior wine quality in the Coonawarra region. It is a wine made without compromise, using only the very best viticulture and winemaking practices, and is only produced when a particular vintage shows exceptional fruit quality and is deemed to have ageing potential for a minimum of fifteen years. As a result it has garnered a reputation for outstanding cellaring ability and is one of the few wines to have featured in every Langton’s classification.

An optimal 2014 growing season in Coonawarra produced highly coloured, concentrated and varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. Veraison occured in February with most of the fruit coming off in early April.

First Growth is made exclusively from Reynell selection Cabernet Sauvignon (cuttings from pre-phylloxera Bordeaux) grown in the very best sub-sections of Parker Coonawarra Estate’s Abbey vineyard. We have also included a small portion of Petit Verdot from the "95 Block' in this vintage. 

Fermentation and extended skin maceration took a total of thirty-six days, before pressing to a selection of 100% new Barriques, sourced from renowned Bordeaux cooperages Sequin Moreau and Taransaud. Regular racking and further élevage in oak for twenty months has made a complex and tightly structured wine, with great potential to reward cellaring for more than twenty years.  

This wine has rested in bottle under strict temperature controlled conditions before release. 

Origin: Australia
Terroir: Coonawarra

The marriage of Coonawarra's Terra Rossa over limestone soils, with Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, has produced some of Australia's greatest and longest living wines. Wines released under the 'Terra Rossa' classification are made exclusively from fruit grown on the rich red soils of this infamous strip. 

The invaluable elements of these soils crossed with the cooler-climate of the region combine to produce a range of wines showing wonderful fruit expression, complexity, elegance in structure and excellent cellaring potential.

Our Terra Rossa Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from a total of seven separate and unique Cabernet Sauvignon blocks on our Parker Estate ‘Abbey’ vineyard in Coonawarra. We have also included some old-vine material from the Wetherall and Kidman family blocks along the terra rossa strip.

Following harvest in late April, the parcels were fermented in a combination of open and closed fermenters to control aromatics. Whilst most of the fruit underwent a 10-day-ferment, there was a small portion which stayed on skins for almost 30 days to extract extra colour and tannin for ageing potential. 

Maturation took place in majority third-fill (80%) French oak Barriques and Hogsheads for fourteen months, before final blending and bottling. The result is another classic Cabernet from the rich red soils of Coonawarra. 

Origin: Australia
Terroir: Coonawarra

When John Parker came to Coonawarra in 1985 from his home in New South Wales, be brought an uncompromising approach to Cabernet Sauvignon that set a new quality benchmark in the region. 

The Malbec component of this wine is sourced from outside the region and interlopes to similar effect. It's thick skins produce almost translucent magenta colours and incredibly bright fruit flavours, making it an ideal blending partner for the more structured Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Cabernet portion of Interloper is sourced from Coonawarra, specifically our viticulturalist Brett Williams vineyard located directly behind the Parker Estate 'Abbey' vineyard. Whlie the Malbec interlopes from the Lienert family vineyard in the Barossa Valley. 

Following open-top fermentation the 85% Cabernet and 15% Malbec blend was transferred to second-fill French oak Barriques for 22 months maturation. 

The resulting Interloper Cabernet Malbec is a fresh and juicy style of wine, showing a well-balanced palate of vibrant acidity, lush red fruits and a bramble savouriness that aptly reflects the region. 

Origin: Australia
Terroir: Coonawarra

The Coonawarra Series represents a logical extension to the long established Terra Rossa and First Growth labels. The Shiraz is made from fruit grown at the northern end of Coonawarra’s famous cigar strip of Terra Rossa soil. Whilst the Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced predominantly from the Williams vineyard in Southern Coonawarra, only a short five minute tractor ride from the Parker Estate Abbey vineyard. The Coonawarra Series wines have a generous and approachable flavour profile in their youth, yet like all Parker wines, retain the ability to age with careful cellaring.

Made from fruit grown on the Williams family vineyard in Southern Coonawarra - located just behind the Parker Cellar Door - the grapes were picked later than usual following a slightly cooler and wetter growing season in 2017. Fermentation took place in static fermenters before maturation in French oak followed by final blending and bottling.

The Coonawarra Series Cabernet Sauvignon is made in a ripe and generous style, yet with enough restraint to display distinct varietal and regional characteristics.

Origin: Australia
Terroir: Coonawarra

Fruit for the 2016 Coonawarra Chardonnay is predominately from the Williams Vineyard located approximately 5 minutes, by tractor, north of Parker Coonawarra Estate's Abbey vineyard, with the balance sourced from a single vineyard on V&A Lane.

A dry winter and warm spring in 2015 led to an early '16 vintage in Coonawarra with all fruit being crushed by March 31st. Following harvest the fruit was pressed off skins straight away before a third of the blend was transferred to new French oak Barriques. 33% of these barrels went through malolactic fermentation before the alcohol ferment to tighten the structure of the wine and add complexity.

The remainder of the blend was fermented in stainless steel tanks to enhance freshness and vibrancy, before being blended with the oak portion to create the 2016 Coonawarra Chardonnay. 

Origin: Australia
Terroir: Coonawarra

Sourced from the Williams family vineyard (just a short five minute tractor ride from the Parker Estate Cellar Door) fruit for this Chardonnay was picked in March 2017. Following harvest the fruit was fermented in stainless steel before remaining on lees for 6 months to boost flavour complexity and texture. Favourite Son Chardonnay is elegant and fruit driven, showcasing distinct varietal and regional notes.

The Colour is bright light straw with golden tints. On the nose, lifted aromas of nectarine and honeydew melon with a touch of spice and toasted cashews. On the palate; fresh lemon-citrus with a panna cotta like creamy texture, brioche and some mineral restraint. Finishes fresh and crisp.

Ideal with seafood or light poultry dishes.

Origin: Australia
Terroir: Coonawarra

The label ‘Favourite Son’ acknowledges that when it comes to wine, like sons: one can never choose a favourite. A vibrant addition to the Parker Coonawarra Estate family.

BACKGROUND
Favourite Son Cabernet Sauvignon is made up of two parcels of fruit from the Coonawarra region; the first is grown on our estate ‘Abbey’ vineyard while the other is sourced from the ‘Williams’ family vineyard, which is located a five minute tractor ride from Parker. Our Cabernet has benefited from a wonderful 2015 growing season. Following harvest – in April – the fruit was fermented in 20T static fermenters before being transferred to second and third fill French oak Hogsheads for 9 months maturation.

TASTING NOTES
Colour: Deep purple with red-brick hues. Aroma: Lifted aroma of blackcurrant, dark plum, subtle cedar and a hint of black olives.
Palate: Rich dark fruit notes, milk chocolate and toasted pine all feature harmoniously together. Grippy, drying tannins lead into a moreish, lingering finish.