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: D-BLOCK
VINEYARD: Very shallow red clay loam overlying shattered limestone | North-south oriented rows | Elevated Eastern aspect | Long, even sunlight.
UPSHOT: Reduced natural vine vigour
FERMENTATION: De-stemmed | 10-12 days on skins | Open pump-overs | Basket pressed | French oak (60% new, 40% seasoned) | Natural malolactic fermentation | 22 months maturation.
TECH ANALYSIS: Alcohol 15.2% | pH: 3.50 | Acid: 6.5g/L | RS <1.0g/L
CELLARING: DRINK NOW TO 2034+
PROFILE: Black raspberry | Cedar | Blackberry | Vanilla bean.
TEXTURE: Grippy tannin | Well-structured | Integrated oak.
PROFILE: Blueberry | White florals | White pepper | Sage.
TEXTURE: Soft & subtle | Lovely fruit drive | Soft tannin | Seamlessly integrated oak.
96 POINTS, WINEPILOT
The mirror image to their Beast? This stunning Barossa gem has seen Shiraz from the coolest part of the estate vineyards, co-fermented with a dash of Viognier (3%). This is all in the search for elegance and refinement.
The colour here is a vibrant purple/bruised plum. The nose exhibits notes of chocolate, raspberries, cassis, cocoa powder, tobacco leaves, truffles and blackberries. This is beautifully structured and, in Barossa terms, elegance personified. There is immaculate balance, a seamless, sleek and supple texture with a fine line of acidity, silky tannins and impressive length. Youthful, but it really does possess such promise. Twelve to twenty years.
