Vintage
When the Eastern states of Australia’s decade-long drought broke in September of 2010, the rains were met with great relief. The cooler conditions delayed vine development and gave expected harvest timeframes more akin to historical averages. However the growing season weather patterns came to be shaped by a strong La Niña, which meant Spring and Summer rains were frequent and significant, increasing the time demands on our viticulture team. This season we employed a number of techniques in the vineyard not used for a number of years, including leaf plucking to improve ventilation and sunlight interception in the fruit zone. Surprisingly, fruit set was good and cropping levels quite moderate despite the lack of heat and high humidity during flowering. The ripening period was cool and extended and has produced fragrant and delicate white wines and Pinot Noirs with attractively ripe tannins, balanced natural acidity and elegant, savoury fruit.

Tasting Profile, July, 2013
A light cherry ruby colour. Opens up with an ethereal, almost diaphanous nose of just-ripe strawberry, pomegranate and juicy raspberry. Then come complexing characters of red earthiness, roasting pan juices, hints of leather. The palate is bright and youthful, with more of the cherryish red fruits and hints of crushed herb and savoury spice. Kittenish, shy and remarkably fine grained to length.

13.0%