Nose
Smelling of luscious red plums and black cherries, deftly seasoned with anise, cinnamon and mocha.
Palate
Dense fruit weight of blackberry, plum and cherry, laced with liquorice and cocoa. The mouthfeel and texture of the wine is rich, velvety with finishing chewy tannins.
Growing Conditions
The first signs of the approaching vintage began with budburst in the early spring of 2014 as the vines shrugged off their winter dormancy. During this formative period of growth, the weather conditions began to shape the vintage to come. In the temperate climes of the south west of Western Australia, the preceding winter provided adequate rainfall to start the season. As the earth gradually faced more to the sun and spring uncoiled its impulsive nature, a warm, dry summer set the stage for a promising outcome. When verasion began in late January, the native marri blossom was abundant in the Great Southern yet curiously absent in Margaret River. Another battle to be fought as netting becomes an annual necessity to protect the valuable crop. The middle autumn period, so often spotted with potential cyclonic fallout, produced intermittent and lingering rain from mid to late March. This slowed the red harvest and cooled the season.
Winemaking
Harvest: late March 2015. Vinification in small open vat fermenters and gentle cap management facilitates the extraction of fine fruit tannin and strong varietal flavour. Oak maturation is for 15 months in a combination of new and old French barrels.
Appearance
Deep garnet in colour.
