Divine ruby red in colour with intense cherry and berry aromas. Rich on the palate with dark cherry, subtle floral and herbaceous notes. Excellent depth, fine tannins and a long vibrant finish. Reviews Vintage Winemaking Technical 94 points by Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com (Dec 2020)94 points by Cameron Douglas MS (Sep 2020) ‘Silver’ at the New Zealand Organic Wine Awards (July 2020)93 points by Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review (May 2020)92+ points by by Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Feb 2020) With warm Spring conditions, growth was steady throughout the vineyard. Flowering began in mid-November and following a cold front in late November, frost risk remained low for the remainder of the season. The new year brought both rain and snow leaving a dusting on the Pisa Ranges, the lowest we have ever seen this far into the season. Warm dry weather followed right through into harvest which enabled the fruit to ripen to perfection. Veraison took place at the end of January and we began our harvest in March. Optimal conditions early in the season have resulted in an above average yield and a long dry season has provided us with exceptional quality. Hand-picked on the 24th, 26th and 30th March. Each clone was small batch vinified with a small percentage of whole cluster per ferment. Cold Soaked for up to 7 days before indigenous yeast fermentation kicked in. Gentle plunging each day, followed by post maceration of up to 9 days to ensure optimum fruit and tannin balance. Total time on skin; 21-26 days. Drained directly into selected French oak barriques (26% new) where the wine aged for 12 months during which malolactic fermentation occurred naturally. The winemaking was very much in keeping with the traditional practices of the Old World. The winemaker, Rudi Bauer, has combined these techniques, and his own personal understanding, to create this wine. pH: 3.65, Total Acidity: 5.4 g/L, Alcohol: 14.0%Bottling Date: 7th July 2022Ageing Potential: 6 – 9 years Download Tasting Note Select 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
