Nose
Rich, ripe aromas of red & blue skinned fruits with hints of dark chocolate & roasted coffee
Palate
Medium-bodied, plush yet lissome. Cherry & berry flavours, are enhanced by a sprinkling of spices, complemented by fine tannins, fresh acidity & perfectly integrated oak, culminating in a satisfying, lingering finish
Growing Conditions
The season was preceded by a wet winter & spring, the driest November since 1999 - so there were no issues around flowering or fruit set - & then the wettest December since 1996. This was followed by a long, dry Indian summer, with maximum temperatures mirroring the long-term average
Harvest
A single-vineyard wine sourced from our original dry grown Wilyabrup property which is sustainably farmed following organic principles. Hand-picked & delivered to the winery in under an hour. Cabernet Franc & Merlot were harvested 21st March, Malbec 11th April, Cabernet Sauvignon 11th & 13th April, & Petit Verdot on 17th April 2018
Bottling
The wine was bottled on 19th November 2019
Winemaking
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 49% (for structure & flavour), Malbec 25% (colour & richness), Cabernet Franc 16.6% (perfume & smoothness) Merlot 4.7% (body & softness), & Petit Verdot 4.7% (spice & boldness), which were selectively picked, then sorted for optimum quality. Cold-soaked for four days, then put in a mix of hand-plunged open fermenters & pumped-over closed fermenters. Time on skins varied from 14 to 21 days. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel creating a smoother, rounder mouthfeel.
Aging
Matured for 18 months in French barriques of which 35% were new
Appearance
Dense purple red
Food Pairing
Lamb Koftas with Yoghurt Dressing