Region:  McLaren Vale

Grape Variety:  Grenache 67%, Shiraz 27%, Mourvèdre 6%

Alcohol:  14.5%

Winemaking Notes:  Small batches of grapes are gently crushed and then transferred to five tonne headed down open fermenters. These batches remain separate until final blending. Foot treading is undertaken two thirds of the way through fermentation. The wine is then basket pressed and transferred to a mixture of new and used French oak barriques to complete fermentation. The barrel ferments are aged on lees, there is no racking until final blending and no fining or filtration.

Tasting Notes:  On the nose we are struck by the typical dark fruits that drinkers of this wine have come to love and expect. Plums, mulberries, fresh soil and more developed peaty like notes are all apparent, with an underlying lick of exotic Indian spice. But, it is the irony, stone like character that gives away the vintage. An abundance of fresh fruits on the palate marry well with the more complex characters of quince paste, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise and earthy beetroot. Driving the core of the wine is that vintage trademark in the form of graphite and wet stone. This wine, while appearing open and generous already, will continue to age well thanks to the lively line of acidity and the abundance of fine gritty tannins.