Tasting Notes

Wine Making Notes

Harvest

The main part of the harvest took place on the 06/04/21 and was fermented at cool temperatures in a concrete tank which allowed to retain the freshness of the red fruit and develop its dark line of minerality, while the strong backbone of natural tannins extended the palate length from the early stages of fermentation. The indigenous yeasts were left to ferment to reflect the exact terroir’s make-up. A small portion of the fruit underwent carbonic maceration in a separate tank, retaining and developing the floral, heady notes of the attack. The notes of chocolate, white pepper and aniseed are inherent to the fruit but further combined and developed through a three-week extended maceration.

Only the free run wine was barreled down, in a combination of approximately 90% low-toast French Burgundy oak and 10% American oak, 1/3 new. The oak provided support to the warm spicy palate notes and long round tannins through 17 months of aging during which two aerative rackings allowed the primary fruit flavours to further darken and deepen, resulting in the food-friendly dark cherry, smoky layers observed in the glass today.

The best barrels were selected and assembled in November 2022. In hopes of retaining all its depth and generosity, and to avoid any alteration to the characteristics of the vintage and the micro-terroir, the wine was left unfined and unfiltered for bottling.

Variety

The parcel that shone the brightest in 2021 is located in the center of the Wilyabrup area, planted of a local heritage clone in 1997 on its own roots. Despite periods of rain before full red grapes phenolic maturity, this parcel’s free-draining ironstone gravel, naturally windy location and strict VSP set-up with full fruit exposure allowed even and complete ripening of the loose clusters. On the 6th of April 2021, we hand-picked the fruit that was already bursting with the intense flavours of orange marmalade, plum compote and traditional candied-fruit pudding that echo in the wine today. Raisins made about 10% of the pick and we added a few clusters of Viognier as a field blend to provide further aroma precursors during the co-fermentation.

Potential Cellaring

To further allow development and continue aging in the bottles, the wine was bottled under cork and should be kept laying down. Sediments and crystals may be present and decanting is recommended.

Alc %

14.5%

750mL

Varietals

Shiraz

Nose

The aromas are formed from rich and intense layers of dark plum, with subtlety’s of chocolate and savoury oak elements. 

Palate

The palate is built on luscious layers of feminine white pepper, and lengthy flavours of dark cherry, anise and musk, finishing with the length from the fine tannins.