• French & American oak
• Satsuma plum
• Roasted coffee
• Long tannins

"A dark-fruited, chewy and spicy wine. A real mouthful of robust decadence, it bursts forth with Christmas cake and vanilla flavours from some American oak influence (as well as French). One of the most full-bodied of the line-up, it really calls for slow-cooked or grilled red meat to stand up to its concentrated flavours" Cuisine Magazine, Issue 206, Jun 2021

Full deep red in the glass. Black olive and Satsuma plum fruits with integrated oak that provides a subtle fresh roasted coffee background. The rich Shiraz fruits with fine textured long tannins provide persistence to this full bodied, yet elegant wine. Acidity is soft and round to give palate succulence. Very approachable at release, the wine has the structure to mature and develop over 8-10 years or more.

This block just to the south of the McLaren Vale township provides the black loam soil over clay that limits yields and encourages small berries to produce the rich Shiraz fruit for this wine. Harvesting was at night to take advantage of cooler temperatures. All components were fermented to dryness and allowed extended maceration on skins before pressing. The oak used for maturation was predominantly new and used French with some second use American to aid the perception of fruit sweetness and a light fining polished the soft tannin structure.

The 2019 growing season can be described as being both warmer and drier than average. Yields were below average and berry size was smaller, helping to concentrate flavours. Conditions until late February were cooler and provided ideal conditions during veraison. Very warm conditions in the last week of February and early March saw rapid ripening and a compressed harvest period, producing concentrated flavours. 15% new French oak, 20% 1 year old French oak hogsheads. 15 months oak.

Food Pairing: Best with full flavoured meals. Roast lamb, warm lentil salad, mild curry.