• French oak
• Dark cherry
• Forest floor
• Classy tannins

Intense aromas of dark cherry lifted by fragrant violet and sage. A layered palate with bilberry, plum with subtle forest floor notes and subtle spice. An elegant wine with classy tannins and a long vibrant finish.

This wine is from our BioGro certified organic and Demeter certified biodynamic estate vineyard located in the Bendigo sub-region of Central Otago. The vineyard was planted in 1998 after careful site selection. The soils on the beautiful north facing slope are Waenga fine sandy loam and Letts steepland with an elevation of 217 – 264 metres, on 44.55° south. Clones: 10/5, 5, 115, 667, 777 & Abel.

With warm Spring conditions, growth was steady throughout the vineyard. Flowering began in mid-November and following a cold front in late November, frost risk remained low for the remainder of the season. The new year brought both rain and snow leaving a dusting on the Pisa Ranges, the lowest we have ever seen this far into the season. Warm dry weather followed right through into harvest which enabled the fruit to ripen to perfection. Veraison took place at the end of January and we began our harvest in March. Optimal conditions early in the season have resulted in an above average yield and a long dry season has provided us with exceptional quality.

Hand-picked on the 24th, 26th and 30th March. Each clone was small batch vinified with a small percentage of whole cluster per ferment. Cold Soaked for up to 7 days before indigenous yeast fermentation kicked in. Gentle plunging each day, followed by post maceration of up to 9 days to ensure optimum fruit and tannin balance. Total time on skin; 21-26 days. Drained directly into selected French oak barriques (26% new) where the wine aged for 12 months during which malolactic fermentation occurred naturally. The winemaking was very much in keeping with the traditional practices of the Old World. The winemaker, Rudi Bauer, has combined these techniques, and his own personal understanding, to create this wine.