De Trafford Shiraz 2003
Vineyard Blocks
Mostly from one block 8 yr old vines on 7 wire vertical trellis with moveable foliage wires. Clones SH21A; SH1A & SH99 all on 101 - 14 rootstock. 5000 vines / hect. "Mont Fleur" vineyard - high altitude Helderberg mountain NW facing slope. Steeply sloping site with rocky, granitic based Hutton soil. Lightly irrigated after veraison and shortly before harvest to avoid excessive stress during the critical ripening stage. Yield 6,5 tons / hect.
A small quantity of grapes from neighbouring Keermont vineyard included from a N.E. facing block. 5 yr old vines on 5 wire vertical trellis, clone SH9 on 101-14 rootstock. Soil deep red Hutton.
Yield 8 tons / hect. Balance of the block used for “Blueprint Shiraz”.
Vintage Conditions
The growing and ripening period was near perfect, producing wines with intense, complex fruit, fine tannins and excellent overall structure.
Harvest date : 1 / 3 / 03 – 5 / 3 / 03 @ 25° - 25.6° Balling.
Production
Handpicking into 20 kg lugboxes. Destemming and gentle crushing directly into small 2 ton open top fermentation tanks. Spontaneous natural yeast fermentation @ max. 30 deg. with the cap of skins punched down manually 2 - 4 times a day for 15 days. Wine drained directly to barrels together with single pressing from traditional basket press.
All our red wines undergo malolactic fermentation in the barrel. 35% new French oak and 10 % new American oak was used.
Time in barrel 22 months with only 2 gentle rackings.
This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered by hand.
Bottling date : 3 / 2 / 2005.
Production : 212 cases.
Tasting Notes
Dark red colour. Nose shows intense black fruits with hints of cocoa, minerals, white pepper, fennel and tar. Big, rich mouthfilling palate with complex fruit and fine, ripe tannins. Long, quite elegant finish. Probably best between 2006 & 2012. Ideal with strong flavoured red meat, especially local venison.
Analysis
Alc. 14.83 SG. 1.5 TA 5.9 pH 3.57 VA 0.56 SO2 19 & 42
