Vineyard location:                     
Central Victoria
                                                  
Oenological Data:                     
Harvest Beaume – 14.5 – 15.0
Total acidity – 7.2 g/l
pH – 3.63
Alcohol – 15.0% alc/vol
 
Winemakers’ Notes: The Shiraz fruit is from low yielding vines and was harvested at the appropriate time to ensure optimum balance, ripeness and intensity of flavour. They were destemmed; berries not crushed or the must pumped to preserve their physical integrity and transferred to a majority of open 4000 L wooden and some stainless steel 5000L vats. A combination of different maceration times (mainly pumping over) from 24 to 48 days on skins and a majority of the batches were naturally fermented. The wine was basket pressed and transferred to new and used French and Hungarian oak for 24 months followed with a further six months in 6000L oak vats. Selections of the best barrels were selected to make “The Cut”. The result is a balanced wine of lovely intense fruit flavours, oak tannins and acid with complex aromas and flavours. Although drinking well now, the wine will benefit from further aging.
 
Tasting Notes: Lifted dark and intense blue and blackberry fruits dominate the bouquet with no overt jamminess and with some nuances of savoury black pepper and spice. Ripe and rich in flavour, the mixed fruits and spices are apparent and are framed in rich gentle but firm concentrated tannins and integrated French and Hungarian oak. The sandy red soils contribute to the earthy notes, which contribute further richness and complexity to the wine. Amongst the intense fruit is lively integrated acidity. Together, all the components will integrate with some bottle age to produce a classical rich Central Victorian Shiraz.