Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier is a collaboration between Anthony J. Terlato of Terlato Wines International and Michel Chapoutier of Rhone Valley fame. The partnership was formed in 1998 when Michel Chapoutier discovered an area in the Australian Pyrenees in Victoria which he envisioned could produce great wines. They visited the property and the venture was soon formed.

From 1998 to 2000, 46 acres, predominantly Shiraz, were planted on an eastern-facing slope. Due to drought, the vineyard struggled for a time, but in 2004 Michel proclaimed 17 of the acres had produced a wine that was ready to be bottled. And so Terlato & Chapoutier lieu dit Malakoff Shiraz was born, a label the partners envisioned will become a celebrated wine brand.

In addition to Malakoff, a small production of Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viognier 2004 was produced in Victoria. It is a blend practiced in France’s renowned Cote Rotie — a style with which Michel is familiar and expert in execution. The Viognier lift the aromas and flavors of the Shiraz producing a distinctly different style that complements grilled meats with a lot of versatility.

Terlato & Chapoutier’s majestic Shiraz comes from the spectacular Malakoff estate, a low-yielding (less than 1t/acre), high-concentration vineyard site in Central Victoria. Gone is the over-ripe, alcoholic in-your-face style of so many Australian Shiraz wines. In its place is a medium-bodied wine wrapped in a silky texture that is a revelation of what Australian Shiraz can be when made by one of the great winemakers of Syrah.