Nose
Lifted & aromatic with typical cherry, complemented by raspberry notes with tomato leaf, oregano & a dusting of spice
Palate
Medium-bodied in weight, smooth and engaging with appealing berry fruit flavours, contrasting beautifully with the lingering savoury & spicy elements. Balanced acidity & fine ripe tannins complete the picture
Growing Conditions
2019 was cooler & later than recent vintages but with no extremes of heat. The red varieties enjoyed long hang time to achieve optimum ripeness, but rain in February/March required bunch dropping & selective harvesting. Yields were lower but quality was ensured
Harvest
Five different clones of Tempranillo were hand-picked in two passes on 9th & 23rd March 2019 at 12.6° to 13.6° Bé from our Karridale property, which is sustainably farmed following organic principles
Bottling
The wine was bottled on 20th October 2020
Winemaking
Once fermentation was underway, the fruit was hand-plunged in open fermenters. Maceration continued during the 10 to 14 days on skins. softening the tannins. MLF was carried out in barrel creating a smoother, rounder mouthfeel. Vegan friendly
Aging
15 months maturation followed in a mix of 300L hogsheads & 500L puncheons – no new oak was used.
Appearance
Ruby red
Food Pairing
Spanish style meatballs