B a r b e r a (25%)  N e b b i o l o (24%)  T r i n c a d e i r a (23%) S h i r a z (12%) C h a r d o n n a y (11%)  T o u r i g a N a c i o n a l (3%)  T e m p r a n i l l o (2%)

 
G r a b
Juicy red crammed full of bright berry fruitiness with a hint of spice, all wrapped up in a finely textured palate.

 

S p i e l
And here’s our blending equation:

+ Barbera – fleshy berry fruit and refreshing acidity + Nebbiolo – savoury tannins
+ Trincadeira – raspberry, cranberry + Shiraz – cherry spice and all things nice
+ Chardonnay - creamy texture + Touriga Nacional – floral lift
+ Tempranillo – rustic tannins + Cool fermentation and matured ‘sur lie’
= Juicy red crammed full of bright berry fruitiness with a hint of spice, all wrapped up
in a finely textured palate.

 

C o l o u r
Medium arnet-purple

 

B o u q u e t
A pungent, intricate nose of nutmeg and cloves, layered with lifted berry fruit

 

P a l a t e
Fleshy earthy fruit are supported by good acidity and grainy tannins, with a spicey,
textured finish

 

G r u b  M a t c h
A BBQ

 

C e l l a r i n g
Drink up, but also a 3 year proposition

 

V i n t a g e
We received some of the best winter rains for five years that refilled soil profiles and
replenished empty irrigation dams. Hooray! But an unseasonal seven day burst of hot
weather in early November during flowering, reduced fruit-set and led to variable yields. Boo! Weather conditions through the ripening months of February and March were ideal with warm sunny days and relatively cool nights. Hooray! Although rain events in April kept us on our toes. Boo! So the10 vintage ‘wasn’t all beer and skittles’. The variable ripening made it tough to decide when to pick, but experience and sorcery got us through, resulting in some solid booze in the winery. Hooray!

 

V i n e y a r d
Caj’s Barbera and Nebbiolo vineyard is near Kersbrook in the northern Adelaide Hills -
340m above sea level on complex sandy clay loams over shale

Hot Dot’s Trincadeira vineyard is on the slopes overlooking Light Pass in the north east of the Barossa - 330m above sea level on sandy clay loams

Matt’s Shiraz vineyard is just west of Gomersal in the west of the Barossa - 180m above sea level on deep red clay

Hamish’s Chardonnay vineyard is in the famed Piccadilly Valley in the central Adelaide Hills – 550m above sea level on clay over limestone.

Joch’s Touriga Nacional vineyard is in the Willunga foothills in the south of the McLaren Vale - 130m above sea level on deep alluvial stony clay loam.

Jim’s Tempranillo vineyard is just south of Rosedale in the south west of the Barossa – 118m above sea level on red brown clays with slate

 

V i n i f i c a t i o n
The fruit is crushed/destemed and fermented at temperatures ranging from 20- 25°C for 5-10 days on skins. The ferment is managed by a variety of techniques, including ‘aerative pump overs’ and ‘drain and returns’ which assist in extracting colour, flavour and tannin from the grapes. At the end of fermentation, it is drained/pressed, and transferred to a combination of 3 and 4 year old American oak barriques and French oak hogsheads to undergo MLF. Post MLF, sulphur dioxide is added, and the wines mature sur lie for 15 months. This wine was bottled in October 2011