Nose

Floral, violet aromas develop into lush plums and dark cherries along with hints of cedar, coffee and
tobacco.

Palate

Delicious mocha and cherry flavours cascade over the mid-palate leading into spicy white pepper and
cardamom characters. The tannins are fine and powdery showing excellent persistence on a long and
complex palate.

Growing Conditions

A mild winter led to an early budburst. Spring was cool, wet and windy which slowed shoot
growth. By December the weather had warmed up and we enjoyed some mild to very warm days
until early March when it became very hot. Rain fell mid-March giving the vines some relief but
the cool and cloudy conditions lingered giving just one week of perfect weather in April to harvest
the rest of the reds before another larger front passed over. Shiraz is mainly sourced from our
Wallcliffe and Trinders Estate vineyards, planted 26 and 13 years ago respectively, where the soils are
gravel laterite derived from weathered granite with a gravel-clay sub-soil. Shoot and leaf removal is
employed during the course of the season on all vines.

Winemaking

Grapes were harvested from 28 March to 10 April. Sugar averaged 24.5 brix and acid levels ranged
between 5.6 and 6.5 grams per litre. Yields ranged between 4.5 and 8.3 tonnes per hectare reflecting
the variable nature of the year. About 20% of the fruit was hand-picked and conveyed to the fermenters
as whole bunches with the balance machine-harvested and crushed on top of the bunches. Fermentation
proceeded rapidly and, following basket pressing, malolactic fermentation quickly follows in large oak
vats. The wine was racked to barrel in July/August and aged in a 50:50 combination of French and
American oak barrels of which 35% was new. The final blending took place in October 200

Appearance

Deep ruby.