Nose
Unmistakably Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River; bay leaf and dried herbs overlaid
with redcurrant and ripe plummy fruits with a violet lift.
Palate
Long and silky with lovely fleshy, plum and currant flavours and subtle earthy complexity.
The finish is soft, long and effortless; typical of this esteemed blend from Margaret River.
Winemaking
The ripening period was extended for the red wine varieties due to the passing of cyclone Olwyn which
quite nicely gave the reds more ‘hang time’ to enhance fruit development flavour profiles with softer
tannin levels arising as a consequence.
Some parcels of Merlot fruit were picked between midnight and early morning to ensure it reached the
winery as cold as possible. The fruit was then gently destemmed and transferred to a fermenter where it
was held cold for 3-4 days prior to fermentation.
The majority of Cabernet parcels were left on skins post-fermentation for 10-20 days. Around 12% of the
Cabernet was matured in new French oak barriques and hogsheads with the balance of the Cabernet and
all of the Merlot being matured in 1-5 year old French oak barriques. Each parcel was matured in oak for
18 months and were kept separate until the final blending stage to assess the development of each.
Appearance
Deep purple-red with a strong, vibrant purple rim.
Food Pairing
Barbequed meats, rissoles & gourmet sausages.
