(by Owner/Winemaker Lindsay Ross)

Seasonal notes

Climate change has been on every one’s mind- hotter drier political debate resounds and yet as farmer I am faced with not a long term trend but one of season to season extremes and my ability to balance these options. 2006 was a trend not an exception. Ten years prior the rains were noticeably diminishing and with it ripening was increasing and with a bigger than average crop – ripeness was extreme. The vineyard was taken to its absolute max.

Winemaking

Our winemaking process is with minimal intervention and it is attempting to define the taste of the place by a natural expression. Normal wine making procedures with indigenous yeast, a long maturation in oak barrels and a small amount of SO2. This was followed by a light filter into bottle without fining or modification.

Handling high sugar grapes in 2006 was a test of tried and true or patently crazy. A big crop and long hang time are the motives behind these alcohol levels. The results are affected by options such as do nothing, water down, Reverse Osmosis! Well - Do nothing was selected as to maintain the vineyard expression it should not be altered and if it’s off the scale then maybe better that the extreme is seen.

High sugar gives high alcohol less acid and fruit notes in the plum prune zone (fully ripe) the palate extends with higher extract and body with mature tannins drying but soft in the finish. Maximum extract was obtained with along post maceration on fermented skins before pressing- providing balance to the wines rich mid palate.

The Future

This 2006 Shiraz will age gracefully for 10 years or more. Having being caught by the vineyards ability to consistently crop and ripen to almost any level desired we have undertaken more restrained criteria and crop levels to achieve our goal of a single vineyard identity - The Bridge Shiraz.

Tasting Notes

Deep dark red black- low crop fully extracted

Intense bouquet plum licorice notes

Rich palate full ripe fruit and rounded tannin finish powerful plummy licorice drying finish