DRINKING WINDOW: Now - 10 years
PRE-VINTAGE
RAINFALL: Wet winter | Very dry spring and early summer
TEMPERATURE: Cool early summer conditions
UPSHOT: Early budburst and flowering | No disease pressure | Earlier expected harvest dates
VINTAGE
RAINFALL: Mid-January rain event | Dry otherwise
TEMPERATURE: Warm days and cool nights
UPSHOT: Fast late ripening conditions | High natural acid | Rich flavours and vibrant frui
D-BLOCK: Shallow red clay loam overlying shattered limestone | North-south oriented rows | Elevated eastern aspect | Long even sunlight
UPSHOT: Rich ripe fruit | Supple tannins | Intense aromatic and flavour profile
FERMENTATION: De-stemmed | Left on skins for 8-10 days | Slow ferment at 15-18°C | Open pump-overs and hand plunging | Basket pressed
OAK: French – 60% new, 40% old | Natural malolactic fermentation | 22 months maturation
TECH ANALYSIS: Alcohol – 15.5% | pH – 3.55 | Acid – 6.9g/L | RS – <1.0g/L
A vibrant mix of strawberry conserve and rhubarb sits alongside blackberry and brambly notes, evoking an earthy undergrowth character. Graphite and minerality nuances bring precision to the palate, while layers of clove and nutmeg add a dark, spicy edge. With both richness and restraint, this wine is expressive now and will continue to evolve gracefully over the next ten years.
