Yarra Valley, Victoria. The nose is a combination of plums and blackberries with a hint of smoked bacon character in the background from maturation in older French oak. The front palate is rich and full flavoured, showing mixed berry flavours and highlighting the seductive flavours of stewed plums. The Middle palate provides more opulent black cherry / sweet spicy plum flavours.
This wine finishes long and silky and with gentle fruit tannins and will improve in the bottle for the next two to three years.
The fruit was either hand picked in the mornings or machine picked at night, thus keeping the fruit cool. The fermentation took place in open fermenters with approximately 25% of the fruit being whole berries. A small percentage of the fruit was held back from the initial ferment and added over the next few days to extend the ferment. The cap was plunged four times a day during the process. The fermented wine was placed into 2,3 and 4 year old French oak, predominantly Nevers and Alliers, and left for 9 months.
