Vineyard location:                           
Yarra Valley 
 
Viticulture:                                        
Vertical shoot positions, PT23 clone.
                                                           
Soil Characteristics:                       
Duplex, grey loam over yellow clays.
                                                              
Oenological Data:                           
Harvest Baume – 13.3 to14.8
Total acidity – 6.8 g/L
pH – 3.45
Alcohol – 13.5%
 
Production:                                      
200 dozen
 
Winemaker’s Notes:                       
Grown from very low yielding vines in the floor basin of the Yarra Valley. The fruit was harvested at optimum balance, ripeness and intensity of flavour. The fruit was divided into two lots. The first was 100% whole berry clusters and transferred to a stainless steel tank and allowed to ferment (Carbonic Maceration) for 90 days, then pressed and transferred to new Troncais oak barrels. With the second batch, the fruit was destemmed; berries not crushed or pumped to preserve their physical integrity and transferred to an open 3800 L wooden vat. Maceration times (mainly pumping over) between 30 to 40 days on skins and was naturally fermented. The wine was aged in new and used French Tronçais and Hungarian oak for 18 months.  
 
Tasting Notes:                                
Complex savoury brown and white spice, lifted berry fruit notes and vanilla herbal essence with a hint of truffle and white pepper on the nose with complimentary fruits of bright red and blackberry, plums, and ripe cherries fruits. This is a very complex wine with typical earthiness and chewy, fleshy texture. The finish is persistent with fine tannins and a fabulous balanced acidity. There is some musky perfume and smoky new oak as well. Classically structured, this wine offers lovely drinking now but will improve over the next 5 to 10 years. It should then mature slowly for many years hence.