Winery & Vintage Info
Good early winter rains throughout June and July replenished soil moisture. August was dry, and the vines shot into life in September with a nice even budburst considering the cooler than average minimum spring temperatures. Welcome rain fell during flowering with no major impact on fruit set.
Warmer than average maximum temperatures were seen throughout late spring and early summer, encouraging ideal ripening conditions. The weather pattern then changed, turning cool after a rain event on 9 January and we experienced cooler temperatures throughout the month. This was ideal weather conditions, allowing the vines to maintain leaf function and general health as we approached the ripening period.
February saw a return to above average temperatures and this combined with very healthy canopies brought on fruit maturity beautifully. The vineyard was entirely handpicked with each parcel of fruit carefully selected. Harvest of the Shiraz started on Monday 16 February and continued through until the last Shiraz was picked on Wednesday 25 February.
Our five individual blocks and their various sections where handled separately in the winery and vintage 2015 created 10 unique batches of wine. The grapes were fermented in a combination of traditional open and closed fermenters after gentle destemming, with some batches receiving whole bunches. The wines were then pressed and transferred into French Oak barrels for malolactic fermentation – majority 300L hogsheads, some 500L puncheons and some parcels aged in traditional 6250L oak cuves. Racked three times during maturation, bottled September 2016. Winery Notes
Reviews & Accolades
"Fermented in a combination of open and closed fermenters this brightly coloured and complex wine has red and black fruits, a little fresh earth and the oak (French 20% new) has been beautifully handled. There is good depth of fruit on the tightly wound palate and this just needs 6 months to open up a little and then another 7-10 years plus for it to really hit its straps."
93 Points - Philip Rich, James Halliday Wine Companion 2018, August 2017
