Nose
Plush blue and dark berries, notes of juniper, clove spice and a hint of milk chocolate
Palate
Currently drinking beautifully as the juicy berry fruit and loads of soft spice notes integrate seamlessly with French and American oak. Fine, chalky tannin and a long finish complete the package.
Growing Conditions
A mild and exceptionally dry winter was followed by warm early spring conditions which advanced vine growth and led to early flowering. The beginning of November saw unusually warm temperatures close to 30˚C and was a prelude to the warm and humid summer to come. December brought more warm, dry days and with the vine canopies in great condition, all varieties passed through veraison quickly. The January and February ripening period was hot and humid with some timely late summer rainfall events. Shiraz thrives in the warmer seasons with the early heat encouraging good tannin ripeness, leading to a slightly earlier harvest period between early to mid-March.
Winemaking
The Shiraz blocks were hand harvested between 8 and 22 March 2011. Each parcel was de-stemmed but not crushed to preserve the whole berries, which were then fermented in a combination of open and static fermenters. A small batch of Estate-grown Viognier was co-fermented with the Shiraz fruit. To maintain aromatics and the slow extraction of tannin and colour, temperatures were maintained below 25˚C. Gentle hand plunging and pumpovers were employed up to three times a day throughout the fermentation process which lasted 10 days. Following fermentation, the wines were pressed, transferred to barrel and aged in 80% French and 20% American oak, of which 36% was new. The wine was matured in barrel for 12 months and racked every three months to aid in clarification. It was then blended and bottled on 6 July 2012.
Appearance
Vibrant medium ruby
Food Pairing
Seared Margaret River venison with onion tart, carrot puree, whipped goats cheese and blackberry jus.
