Nose
An aromatic, fragrant nose of ripe red-skinned fruits, a suggestion of blackberry, red liquorice, herbs & leather
Palate
Medium-bodied in weight; deep plum & berry flavours have tobacco & leather highlights, framed by fresh & lively acidity. The tannins are gentle, the finish impressively persistent
Growing Conditions
An outstanding vintage. The season commenced with a wet start to June when rainfall was 30% above average. From this point onwards the months dried to below average rainfall & maximum temperatures crept up above the long-term averages. Lower yields, but very high quality
Harvest
Five different clones of Tempranillo were hand-picked on 25th February with a parcel of Graciano picked on the same day from our Karridale property, plus a pick of Petit Verdot on 12th March from our dry grown Wilyabrup site, both of which are sustainably farmed following organic principles
Bottling
The wine was bottled on 29th November 2021
Winemaking
A blend of 85% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano & 6% Petit Verdot which were co-fermented. Once fermentation was underway, the fruit was hand-plunged in open fermenters. Maceration continued during the 9 days on skins. softening the tannins. MLF was carried out in barrel creating a smoother, rounder mouthfeel. The wine was filtered but not fined
Aging
14 months maturation followed in a mix of 300L hogsheads & 500L puncheons – no new oak was used
Appearance
Brilliant garnet/ruby red with a purple rim
Food Pairing
Grain & roasted red capsicum salad
