Description
Vineyard:
Single Vineyard : Stansborough vineyard. The site is around 260-280m above sea level with an east west aspect. Soil consists of a shallow red clay top soil over friable red clay with bands of quartz, ironstone and shale. The vineyard was planted in 2000 and is own rooted, clones are heritage and 1654. The vines are spur pruned to 32-36 buds per vine. The mid rows are cultivated to winter active fescue.
Winemaking:
The Shiraz was -picked on the 25th of February 2019. The fruit was destemmed and lightly crushed (rollers open) to an open concrete fermenter and was seeded via a method known as Pied de Cuve (a small percentage of the fruit was picked 5 days before main harvest and left amongst the vines allowing the natural yeast of the vineyard to commence fermentation, this was added back to the main fermentation as a starter culture). Temperatures were allowed to reach 28C with header boards allowing gentle extraction. After 11 days on skins the fruit was basket pressed and transferred into 33% new French oak (500lt) with the balance into 1-4 year old French hogsheads to undergo malo-lactic fermentation. After malo-lactic fermentation the wine was racked from oak, SO2 was added, the wine was then transferred back to the same oak and matured for a further 17 months. No fining used.
Tasting Notes:
Vibrant colour, aromas of plums, cherry, blueberry and dark chocolate coated licorice. The palate delivers with its fine fruit and oak tannin allowing for a very morish textured palate. Dutch cocoa flavours combined with Barossa Shiraz fruit sweetness gives a wonderful example of the region and variety.
Cellaring:
Drink now or cellar carefully and enjoy over the next 10+ years.
Analysis:
Alc/vol 14.2 %, TA 6.07 g/l, pH 3.57, G/F 0.18 g/l, VA 0.65 g/l
