Winery & Vintage Info
A favourable growing season, with good winter rains, a mild flowering and fruit set period and continued spring rainfall. Vines showed good balance of shoot vigour and moderate berry size. The ripening period that began late January was very cool, with some welcome rainfall in mid-February. The cold nights and mild sunny days in March slowed sugar accumulation, resulting in excellent fruit ripeness and intensity.
The vineyard is certified Biodynamic (certification # 11587) with Australian Certified Organic. We have quite a practical approach, with our philosophy focused around healthy and alive soil, which involves no use of synthetic herbicides or fungicides, use of compost and biodynamic preparations, use of sheep in winter to graze under vine, and minimal mechanical soil disruption.
Sourced exclusively from the 17 hectares of un-irrigated bush vines planted in 1946. Hand-picked, selectively sorted in the winery. 50% whole berries retained. Wild yeast. A very gentle pump over regime during fermentation, often just wetting the cap. Time on skins during maceration varies, the majority is approximately 21 days, with a few extended to 140 days. No pressings used. The wine was matured in a mixture of older French oak puncheons and foudre, ceramic eggs and amphora. Certified Organic/Biodynamic.
