Colour:
Dark garnet.
Aroma:
Elegant with succulent wild berry, dried thyme and pretty floral aromatics.
Palate:
Fruit forward with flavours of cherry and fresh red plum. The acid is perfectly balanced with the silky texture. Hints of spice and toasty oak lead to a complex and generous finish.
Ageing:
This is a complex wine which is perfect for drinking immediately. With careful cellaring this wine will continue to develop for the next five years.
Winemaker:
Kyle Thompson
Region:
Southern Awatere Valley.
Terroir:
Soil: Wind-blown loess over clay.
Topography: A gentle north facing slope.
Climate: Slightly cooler than the Wairau Valley.
Regional characteristics and contribution to uniqueness of flavours:
The vines are planted closely together on a north facing slope on vigour moderating soils. A long ripening season provided ideal conditions for the development of concentrated flavours and ripe tannin.
Winemaking:
The fruit was harvested when it had reached full physiological ripeness and maximum flavour maturity. At the winery the fruit was held cold for five days prior to fermentation to help extract maximum flavour and to enhance colour stability. A specially selected yeast was used to carry out the primary alcoholic fermentation, during which the fermenting must was hand plunged up to six times daily at the peak of fermentation. At dryness the wine was pressed, then racked off gross lees to a mixture of 17 per cent new French oak and older seasoned 225 litre oak barriques.
During maturation the barrels were regularly tasted until the right balance was achieved (9 months). During this time in oak, the young wine completed malolactic fermentation. The wine was then carefully extracted from oak, blended and prepared for bottling.
Viticulture:
The fruit was sourced from a vineyard on the southern side of the Awatere Valley. The sloping site allows each vine to receive maximum exposure to sunlight, while the cooler maritime influence assists with acid and flavour retention.
Wine Analysis:
Alcohol 13.5% v/v
Acidity 6.2g/litre
pH 3.52
Vegetarian Friendly
Our Food Match Recommendation:
Beautifully matched with barbecued lamb rack or scotch fillet with mushrooms.
