"Delightful juicy fruit attack of blackcurrant and cherry on the nose with mint chocolate and roasted nuts. The palate is rounded and silky. The wine offers lovely fruit intensity and smooth texture, finishing long and tasty. It is immediately appealing and very easy to enjoy. At its best: now to 2021" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, June 2018

"Estate-grown, matured in new French oak. Cassis, plum and leaf on the bouquet are replicated in the opening stanzas of the palate. It’s not until the finish that the tannins appear and lock onto the tastebuds, allied with bay leaf and black olive. Demands patience" James Halliday, The Weekend Australian Magazine, 'Top 100', Nov 2017

"A tightly framed and held cabernet merlot blend with some raw oak workinginto blackcurrant and fruitcake flavours" Ray Jordan, Sunday Times, 'Top Drops', Oct 2017

"Excellent cassis and blueberry nuances with delicate floral shades. The palate is youthful, bright and lively with refreshing acidity and papery tannin. Very young right now, though the flavour and varietal expression are good. It needs a little time in bottle to soften and harmonise" Toni Paterson, Real Review, Sept 2017

"Deep red/purple colour, with a savoury dried herb and black fruit aroma, some shrillness from acidity and pervasive firm, grippy tannins. There’s a core of sweetness then big tannins to finish. The aftertaste is very drying. Protein-rich food is called for" Huon Hooke, Real Review, Sept 2017

Dark cherry red in the glass with a nose of fusty plums and blackberries mixed with seductive sweet mocha notes. Sweet blackberries and blueberries mingle with mocha and chocolate on the palate. There are notes of cedar and spices, particularly nutmeg and cinnamon. The tannins are silky smooth and add to the wonderful texture on the palate. This is a rich blend that will continually open up and evolve in the glass. 

The mild spring conditions merged into a warm and dry start to summer, with the vines on track slightly earlier than normal. These conditions were  nterrupted in mid-January 16, with 70mm of rain falling in the vineyard due to a tropical rain event. With this moisture came the challenge of increased fungal pressure on the fruit – 2 weeks out from the white harvest (leading to a very stressed Viticulturalist and Winemaker). For the reds, it gave them a much appreciated drink in the lead up to harvest in late March. Despite this challenge, all fruit harvested are of exceptional quality, showing intense varietal characters.

The fruit for this wine was machine harvested during the cool of night in mid-March. After crushing the must was inoculated with selected strains of yeast and fermentation proceeded at an even pace for two weeks until dryness. The resultant wine was then drained and pressed. After MLF the wine was matured for 12 months in French oak, of which 5 months was with 20% new oak, before blending and bottling. Medium term cellaring will only add to the wine’s complexity.