Nose
Deep dark brambly fruits of blueberries and
mulberries combined with subtle spices of
nutmeg, cardamom and black pepper.
Palate
Plush ripe fruit of wild berries and plums
balanced by black pepper and aniseed spices.
The vibrant fruit characters are supported
by savoury rich tannins providing length
and texture.
Growing Conditions
The fruit for this wine was sourced from
Cape Mentelle’s Estate, Foxcliffe and Kyella
vineyards in Margaret River. The soils are
predominantly deep sandy loams with high
lateritic gravel content over clay. Shoot
and leaf removal techniques were used to
ensure a balance between fruit exposure to
light whilst providing protection from the
midday sun.The 2010 harvest in Margaret River
continues a run of excellent vintages, again
marked by a very dry and mild summer.
The only signifi cant rainfall for the vintage
period was not until mid-April ensuring an
excellent ripening period with fruit retaining
pristine varietal fl avours, great concentration
and intensity
Winemaking
Fruit was selectively harvested and berry
sorted based on fl avour and tannin
maturity. Fermentation took place in a
combination of open and static stainless
steel fermenters. The ferments were managed
with a combination of plunging and pump
overs. All batches were basket pressed and
transferred to large oak vats for malolactic
fermentation.The wine was matured for
15 months in predominantly Burgundian
coopered French oak barriques, 25% of
which were new, before being bottled in
September 2011.
Appearance
Dark red with crimson hues.
Food Pairing
Aniseed tea infused duck breast with crispy
skin served with a roast beetroot and rocket
salad.