Tait The Ball Buster Barossa Valley 2016

Tait fashions only bold, full-throttle wines, and the most recent release of Tait’s 2016 The Ball Buster is indeed both big and bold, and, most importantly, exceedingly beautiful. It is a sumptuous, decadent wine that checks all of the boxes and goes far beyond its size and stature to deliver layer upon layer of flavors in one tasty, mouth-filling glass of wine. For starters, this big beauty offers a host of heady aromas; black cherry, currant, plum, and dark chocolate all make an appearance. In the mouth, the 2016 The Ball Buster explodes with rich berry, plum, and cacao flavors that ride a tsunami of ripe tannins that perfectly balance the wine’s judicious fruit. The full-bodied 2016 Tait The Ball Buster warrants every bit of the accolades it has received, and then some, including 91 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. In short, Tait’s basket pressed, un-fined and unfiltered 2016 The Ball Buster is simply not to be missed. Serve it cool (60°-64° F) after 15-20 minutes of aeration and let the good times roll. Enjoy!

Tait’s sumptuous 2016 Barossa Valley The Ball Buster could be a meal in itself, but for those looking to double the pleasure, consider pairing it with kindred souls – flavor-filled foods with personality. Herb and Black Olive Tapenade Encrusted Pork Tenderloin served with garlic mashed potatoes offers good companionship. Add a highly-charged ratatouille served with homemade pasta and the pleasure quotient goes up even further. Thin slices of beef with a Shiraz demi-glace on a bed of sweet potato mash in the company of roasted root vegetables gains high marks, too. A venison burger topped with black pepper aioli and onion confit provides another tasty treat to accompany Tait’s 2016 The Ball Buster, as will a spicy andouille sausage pizza with broccoli rabe and fior de latte. Good day, and good eating, mates!

Tait is truly a boutique winery in all respects. Located in the small town of Lyndoch in the southern end of South Australia’s Barossa Valley, the winery overlooks the spectacular Barossa Ranges and is owned and run by Michael and Bruno Tait and Bruno’s wife, Michelle. They acquired the property in 1994 to continue the Tait family’s winemaking tradition. Although relatively new to winemaking, Michael and Bruno’s family had long been involved with wine. The brothers’ father, Giovanni Tait, was a master cooper who migrated in 1957 from Italy to Australia, where he worked in Barossa making and repairing oak casks for ageing wine. He learned his trade in Italy from his father and grandfather; together they share over 100 years of experience crafting oak casks. Nevertheless, Giovanni’s ultimate dream was to one day establish a family winery, which came to fruition with sons Michael and Bruno.

Tait’s winemaking philosophy is quite simple: produce hand crafted, bold-flavored, full-throttle wines that exhibit intense flavors and aromas. They use only the highest quality Barossa and McLaren Vale fruit from low yielding vines, many of which are 50-80 years of age. All of Tait’s wines are made on site and are hand crafted using traditional winemaking methods including open fermentation, extended maceration, and basket pressing to ensure the highest quality and consistency.

Tait crafts three iconic wines, The Ball Buster, a classic full-bodied Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot blend that consistently garners 90+ points every year (this month’s selection); The Wild Ride, a rich, superbly made GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) that ranks as one of Australia’s finest; and The Border Crossing, a sumptuous Shiraz from across the Barossa border in neighboring McLaren Vale and the winery’s newest venture. Tait also bottles small amounts of a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon to round out its enviable portfolio.