DRINKING WINDOW: 10 - 15 years
PRE-VINTAGE
RAINFALL: Winter (average) | Spring (above average).
TEMPERATURE: Warm spring and early summer | No extreme heat.
UPSHOT: Consistent flowering and fruit set | Healthy canopy.
VINTAGE
RAINFALL: Summer (below average) | Autumn (light).
TEMPERATURE: Days (cool - below average) | Nights (cool).
UPSHOT: Mild, even consistent ripening conditions | Gradual & dense flavour accumulation | High natural acid.
SEPPELTSFIELD VINEYARD
BLOCK: H Block
VINEYARD: Deep red clay loam | Western bank of Greenock Creek Old clone | Low topograpical position | Slight Easterly aspect | East-West Oriented rows.
UPSHOT: Intense fruit profile | Herbaceous notes
FERMENTATION: De-stemmed | 2-3 pumpovers per day | Skin maceration 8 days | Basket Pressed | 35% New French Oak | Natural malolactic fermentation | 22 months maturation.
TECH ANALYSIS: Alcohol 15.0% | pH: 3.55 | Acid: 6.8g/L | RS <1.0g/L
PROFILE: Delicate purple jasmine and vibrant redcurrant bring fragrance and lift to the nose. Concentrated yet refined, the palate reveals plush tannins, subtle nutty oak and impressive length.
95 POINTS, THE REAL REVIEW
"Arresting notes of choc-mint, bay leaves and cassis on the nose lead into a suave and velvety core. It's brimming with intensity and the picking time has been perfectly managed, there's both ripeness and freshness. The spicy oak is a touch pungent in its youth, but time will temper it. An impressive cabernet which isn't afraid to flex its muscles." - Gabrielle Poy
