Estate
Bleasdale Vineyards was founded in 1850 and has been run by six generations of the Potts family, making it one of the longest continuously operating family wineries in Australia. James Halliday Five Red Star (top 2%).
Region
Langhorne Creek is moderated by breezes off Lake Alexandrina, one of South Australia's cooler and gentler regions. Its Shiraz favours balance over power.
Variety & Style
The Powder Monkey is the estate's flagship Shiraz. The name refers to the boy who carried gunpowder below decks in the age of sail — a nod to founder Frank Potts's shipwright background. Selected parcels and extended barrel ageing produce a full-bodied wine with fine tannin.
What to Expect
This is the signature wine of a 175-year-old estate. It does not aim for impact; it aims for completeness. It needs time in the glass, and drinking it in a hurry wastes it.
Serving
17–18°C, decant one hour. Aged red meat, lamb, braises. Drink through 2035.