Blend: 55% Cabernet 45% Merlot
Tasting Note: Deep brooding aromas of dark chocolate, blackberry and cassis dominate the nose, followed by some sweet spicy oak and slight eucalypt. The palate is soft and generous with silky smooth tannins. Plum and sweet rhubarb fruit flavours linger on the taste. The wine has good depth of flavour, length and balance.
Vintage: The 2007 vintage was greatly influenced by a mild spring, producing an early budburst and flowering and robust growth. This had the effect of bringing our picking forward by close to 4 weeks and in turn resulting in ripening occurring in the warmer months of February and March instead of the usual March to April. Whilst February and March were warm there was a lack of really hot days that can damage flavour. The overall result was great flavour concentration in both whites and reds.
Winemaking Note: All the fruit for this wine came from the Clairault vineyard in Wilyabrup, from six individual sites each exhibiting its own personality, character and vine age. Winemaking thereafter was typically traditional, with small open fermenters, 10 to 20 days on skins and maturation in French oak barriques for 18 months. Typically Merlot provides Cabernet Sauvignon with a softness and middle palate fullness that is sometimes lacking in straight varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. Although softer and rounder this wine will still benefit greatly from 5 to 10 years cellar ageing.
Analysis:
Sugar Level at Picking: 14.0 to 14.5
Baume Wine pH: 3.42
Wine Titratable Acidity: 6.0 g/L
Residual Sugar: 0.01 g/L
Alcohol: 14.5%
Winemaker: Will Shields
