Vineyard Blocks 

Usually mostly from the neighbouring Keermont vineyard, but this vintage the vines were literally blown away during flowering, and only made up about 40%. A north east facing block. 12 yr old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis, clone SH9 on 101.14 rootstock. Soil deep red Hutton, medium potential decomposed granite. Yield 1 tons / hect (7 hl/ha). Another 40% from Post House vineyard, which we picked a little late – and consequently really ripe.

A little from our “Tip Top Mont Fleur” vineyard.  Steep, stony, north west facing slope with narrow rows.  Yield 4 tons/hect (29 hl/ha).

 

Vintage Conditions

A cool, overcast, rainy spring led to poor fruit set and smaller, looser bunches. Very strong winds during flowering dramatically reduced the size of the crop as well as causing some physical damage. The small crop contributed to faster ripening with very ripe grapes of great intensity. A hot, dry harvest and we frantically had to pick most of these blocks as soon as we could - just before, as well as during the mid-March heat wave.

 

Production

Handpicking into 20 kg lugboxes. Destemming and gentle crushing directly into small open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ max. 33 deg. with the cap of skins punched down manually 2 - 3 times a day for an average of 16 days. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from basket press.

All our red wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in the barrel.

Time in barrel 22 months with no new wood and only two rackings.

This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered by hand.

Bottling date: 25/ 01 /2012.

Production: 147 x 12 x 750ml

 

Tasting Notes

Very deep, dark red colour. Intense dark berry and cherry fruit, black pepper and nutmeg nose. Full, rich palate packed with intense ripe fruit and a spicy, peppery overlay and the warmth of alcohol. Much bigger and less elegant than usual from the hot 2010 vintage. Expected best between 2013 and 2020.

Ideal with a rack of ribs with a little spice or slow roasted pork belly.

 

Analysis

 

Alc.  16.29            SG.  3.9          TA  4.9            pH  3.74          VA  0.72           SO2  9free & 34total