Wine Background

Vineyard site

The top of the north side hills of McLaren Vale. Short rows running down from the top of the ridge. The profile is

very deep sand. The site is protected from hot north winds by an old pine forest capping the hill.

Planted

1996. 3 acres on rootstocks to help vine vigour and for protection from nematodes.

Trellis

Single cordon with a catching wire to increase the canopy’s fruit shadingas the variety is susceptible to sunburn.

Irrigation

Drip @ 12 litres a vine every 3 days.

Season

Very low rainfall through winter & spring gave the vines a poor start to the growing season and a resulting low fruit set. Late spring frosts also did not help. Summer included a 4 week heatwave in Feb/March.

Harvest

Picked Feb 23, 14.5 Beaume, 3.5 tonnes to the acre.

Winemaking

The fruit was put through a basket press giving about 2 hours of skin contact. The juice was then fermented in closed 1200 litre temperature controlled tanks using 2 different yeasts aimed at enhancing the natural fragrance of this variety.

Bottled

August 2008

Alc. 14.3 pH 3.26 TA 5.9