Nose
Violets, blueberries, cedar and blackcurrants. Hints of dark chocolate, raspberries and mocha.
Palate
Structured yet generous entry of primary red fruit, spiced plums and wet stone. A red and black fruit core extends the entire length of the wine, held together by tensile oak and fruit tannin and a luscious blueberry and liquorice finish.
Growing Conditions
After an unseasonable dry early Winter, late rains in August and September came to the rescue. Budburst commenced in early August and continued until late September. Significant rain events persisted through to mid-October, with conditions fining up through the flowering period enabling successful flowering and fruit set. Vine growth was excellent and excess vigour issues were dealt with by employing shoot thinning and vine de-legging practices, in a successful attempt to deter regrowth and crowding of fruit zone areas. Harvest began on the 27th January, in line with the earliest picking dates on record, trailing out until completion on the 13th April.
Winemaking
The fruit is harvested, de-stemmed and crushed, so that each berry is just split. This is to ensure minimal berry degradation during the fermentation process and to promote fresh, clean flavour production by our very specifically selected yeast strain. Our ferments are, by industry standards, cool and gentle, allowing slower, more controlled extraction of tannin and flavour. The wine is pumped over three times a day and then judiciously backed off as the wine develops.
This wine was on skins in the fermenter for 14 days, before gentle pressing and barrelling down. The result is clean, pure fruit flavours, boasting supple yet powerful tannin. The wine was aged in French oak barriques for 10 months before the wine was removed from barrels, clarified and bottled.
Aging
Enjoyed for its freshness now, or cellar for up to 10 years for added complexity.
Appearance
Bright red with hints of dark blue.
