THIS IS A WINE CLUB MEMBER-ONLY WINE. YOU MUST BE A MEMBER OF OUR WINE CLUB TO PURCHASE.

The 2002 growing season was marked by a drier-than-average winter and cool temperatures, allowing for a long, slow ripening period that preserved small berry size and developed rich varietal fruit intensity. Harvested between March and April at 13.5°–14.5° baumé, the grapes were crushed into static and open fermenters, with warm initial fermentation to extract colour before reducing temperatures to control the rate of fermentation. Regular pumping over ensured optimal flavour and tannin extraction. After six to eight days on skins, the wine was pressed, and the free-run combined with the pressings before maturing for 12 months in predominantly four-year-old French oak hogsheads, with the balance in American oak hogsheads of varying age, allowing the wine to develop subtle oak complexity and well-integrated structure.

WINEMAKER'S NOTES

COLOUR: Medium to full depth slight crimson and red hues.

AROMA: Lifted plum and ripe berry fruit characters combined with subtle oak integration.

PALATE: Good varietal Shiraz flavours of plums and ripe berries, rich and soft structure with good balance of fruit and oak tannins delivering a long persistence of flavour length.

ABV: 14.5%

REGION: Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia

SIZE: 750mL