Vintage: 2015/2017
Tasting Notes: Aromas of mixed dark fruits, fresh cherries with a hint of prunes and spice. A rich palate with a lovely fine structure displaying a medley of berry fruit flavours, cedar, spice and a long persistent finish incorporating flavours of freshly ground coffee beans and toasty oak.
Winemaking: The fruit was harvested when it had reached full physiological ripeness and maximum flavour maturity.At the winery the fruit was held cold for five days prior to fermentation to help extract maximum flavour and to enhance colour stability. 27 per cent whole cluster bunches were added to the fermentation to add a stems component and another layer of complexity. Specially selected cultured yeast were used to carry out the primary alcoholic fermentation, during which the fermenting must was hand plunged up to six times daily at the peak of fermentation.At dryness the wine was pressed, then racked off gross lees to a mixture of 32 per cent new French oak and older seasoned 225 litre oak barriques.
During maturation the barrels were regularly tasted until the right balance was achieved (ten months). During this time in oak, the young wine completed malolactic fermentation.The wine was then carefully extracted from oak, blended and prepared for bottling.
Wine Analysis: Alcohol 13 % v/v Acidity 5.9g/litre pH 3.61
Food Match:
Well matched with red meat dishes such as fillet steak and seasonal vegetables.
Senior Winemaker
Hamish Clark
Viticulture:
Sourced from a single vineyard in the Delta region within the Southern Valleys sub-region.A naturally low cropping vineyard that produces
tight bunches with small berries which intensifies the wines flavour and concentration.This wine contains clones 115 and a whole cluster component of 27 per cent. The vineyard was harvested at the optimum ripeness and flavour profile