Red Blend Wine

This expressive red offers blackberry, chocolate, toast and mineral notes, with firm, well-integrated tannins supporting a plush texture. Ripe yet focused, in the modern style. Drink now through 2017.

Dark red, almost garnet hue with bright red on the rim. Ripe cherry and cedar on the nose with hints of dried rose petal and sweet oak. Lovely entry that leads into a fat and savory mid palate. Ripe fig and black currant dominate the finish with a breadth of soft, well integrated tannins.

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet is very much a reflection of the Penfolds winemaking style and philosophy. Sourced from premium vineyards across South Australia, the wine is known for its full-flavoured style with excellent Shiraz and Cabernet fruit, firm yet well-rounded structure and balanced oak. Made as a traditional 'Australian blend', the Shiraz component provides fleshy fruit flavour while Cabernet provides a frame of fine grained tannins.

"This smooth, inviting red shows vivid plum and spice flavors that cascade into the tight, peppery finish. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2016. Smart Buy"

Why do we call our "port" Starboard?
Because it is not port. Genuine port comes from a region in Portugal, the Douro River Valley. Starboard - the nautical term for right (as opposed to port - left) is unique to our place.


How is Starboard different?
We use the same grape varieties and similar methods as in the Douro, but our climate is warmer and the soils different. Instead of 140 proof fortifying brandy, we use a neutral grape spirit, 190 proof, for fortifying. We use 60 gallon barrels instead of 140 gallon pipes used in Portugal. Starboard matures earlier and has a riper more voluptuous flavor.


Starboard Batch 88 - The grapes in Batch 88 are primarily Tinta Roriz from the Madera area. The vineyard is managed to give loose bunches and a small crop. The blend is smooth and soft with a chocolate raisin character. Several different vintages are used in the blend which has an average age of about 5 years. In the port business this type of blend is called "Vintage Character."

Although the fresh cedar and cassis notes of Cabernet Sauvignon dominate the nose, the interplay of flavors on the palate is like a "Where's Waldo" wine game, with one varietal flavor emerging at one instant, followed by another, and then another, all merging in a chorus of fruit flavors at the finish. Light to medium-bodied, and totally ready to drink now, this is a delightful wine with the distinctive and interesting flavor signature of its own — a fitting tribute to the field blends of old.