Heavy rainfall in June and early July provided an exciting start to the season but was followed by extremely dry conditions throughout spring and early summer resulting in budburst and flowering up to 3 weeks early. Although these dry conditions were a concern it was somewhat tempered by cool conditions through December and the first half of January. A rainfall incident of 70mm in mid-January pushed sugars back and was followed by perfect warm ripening conditions with 30-32C days and cool nights down to 10C persisting for 2 weeks. These conditions resulted in a fast late ripening curve that has produced rich vibrant fruit throughout.
The fruit from our three Cabernet blocks and one other high quality block in the North Western section of the Barossa Valley were blended to create this wine. All blocks have shallow clay over limestone soils, easterly aspects, a gentle slope and a north- south row orientation.
A combination of techniques including whole bunch addition and extended maceration were used to ensure complexity and varietal balance. The wine was basket-pressed into a combination of new (10%) and old French (90%) oak, where it underwent secondary fermentation. The wine was matured in oak for a total of 10 months. No fining or filtration was used in the production of this wine.
Red peppercorn, tomato leaf, and fresh herbs offer a savoury lift, complemented by crisp notes of snow pea and sugar snap. Plum adds a juicy core to the palate, balancing the herbal edge with ripe fruit character.
