Nose
A complex array of warm spices such as cinnamon and star anise, underpinned by deep dark blood plums and cedar.
Palate
Rich, dark brambly fruits and plums intermingle with savoury pepper and wood smoke. The tannins are powder fine and frame a medium-bodied, smooth mouthfeel that lingers on the palate. A wine equal parts great poise and power.
Harvest
2020 was a tricky vintage for life in general with lockdowns, split work forces and all manner of challenges but it did make for some very lovely wines in Margaret River.
A steady, relatively warm season, punctuated by a couple of solid rainfall events, resulted in one of the very best Shiraz seasons in our amazing region. The Shiraz vineyards largely loved the natural moisture along with the warm temperatures and the resulting fruit has great flavour with perfectly ripe tannin structure.
Winemaking
This wine is almost entirely from our old vine central Wilyabrup vineyard planted in 1972. The fruit was hand-picked and varying amounts of whole bunches were employed in small open top fermenters.
A minimalist approach in the winery included only twice daily plunging and pressing after 12 days on skins to a mixture of new and seasoned French oak. The individual parcels were kept separate and aged on lees for 12 months until the final selections of the parcels were made.
The final blend incorporates a combination of 30% and 100% whole bunch fermented batches allowing for a wine of both great depth and complexity.
Appearance
Deep purple with a bright crimson rim.
Food Pairing
Rare venison with mushroom ravioli and celeriac puree.
