Elderton Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (Barossa Valley)

The weather was kind to us in 2022, with fruit picked from our Nuriootpa and Craneford vineyards. We experienced a relatively cool growing season with only a few minor warm spikes allowing for a very gradual ripening pattern. As Cabernet is a later ripening variety, we are always hopeful the rain holds off until we can pick. Although we had a threat of rain as the season went on, we were able to hold the fruit on the vines to achieve the ripeness and flavour spectrum we look for. Craneford, in Eden Valley, at higher altitude is cooler and is always some of the latest fruit to come in.

We also have new plantings of three clonal selections of Cabernet Sauvignon, at our Nuriootpa vineyard, which are just beginning to show their varietal characteristics which is very promising!

Fruit from vintage 2022 has a wonderful and abundant freshness, which made it a pleasure to work with. The generosity of fruit meant that we could work the cap reasonably well during fermentation to build a bold tannin structure to match the fruit profile. As always, we try and maintain our ferments at relatively low temperature as this is our best regulator for rate of ferment. We ensure our batches of Cabernet Sauvignon ferment to dryness, whilst still on skins, and are then pressed off before racking to a combination of new and seasoned French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation. Our final Cabernet Sauvignon blend is assembled closer to bottling, allowing us to ensure we get the balance right in our final blend. - Jules Ashmead and Brock Harrison