Nose
A cornucopia of blackberry, lifted strawberry, currants & sweet spices with a hint of sarsparilla
Palate
Medium-bodied, juicy & silky smooth in the mouth with a subtle tannin structure. The cleansing red-fruited acidity drives the finish
Growing Conditions
Average rains over winter & spring but cool cloudy conditions caused reduced fruit set in some varieties. Summer was warm with no heat spikes & was very dry, perfect for berry development. Heavy cropping on some varieties necessitated bunch dropping to achieve full ripeness. Cooler conditions later in summer extended the ripening period. Excellent quality
Harvest
First parcel of Malbec was hand-picked on 23rd March 2023 at 13.5° Bé; the second parcel was harvested on 3rd April 2023 at 13.2° Bé
Bottling
Bottled on 30th August 2023
Winemaking
The first parcel underwent carbonic maceration for 12 days, & was then crushed & fermented on skins for 7 days. The second parcel was fermented on skins for 10 days.
Aging
Both batches were put to barrel for 3 months in a mix of neutral French oak barriques & hogsheads.
Appearance
The deep vibrant purple hue belies its youthfulness
Food Pairing
Oven baked chicken with cranberry, walnut & apple rice pilaf or pesto pizza with aubergine & goat’s cheese