From the Vineyard
Winemaking
Harvest occurs in April over a four week period. The grapes are maturing rapidly at this time and are harvested progressively as the ripening process evolves, capturing an array of flavours from spice and cloves initially though to cassis, plum and raisin when fully ripe.
The grapes are fermented in stainless-steel tanks with automated ‘pumping-over’ to extract the maximum colour and structure from the skins. During this process the fermenting wine is regularly pumped from the bottom of the tank over and through the floating skins, keeping them cool and moist. Tank temperature is kept below 24 degrees Celsius to slow the fermentation and to maximise fruit aromas. The primary fermentation is extended further by the daily addition of freshly harvested grapes. The fermentation takes approximately three weeks to complete. During this time the selected yeasts convert the fruit sugars to alcohol, and produce a wonderful array of flavours and aromas. The newly created wine is then left in contact with the skins for a further three weeks. The slow fermentation and long period of rest-on-skins improves the wine's structure and adds complexity to the flavours.
The wine is gently separated from the skins using an airbag press and transferred to storage tanks. The yeast lees slowly settle out of suspension. The clear wine is then transferred to new and used American and French oak barrels for maturation for up to two years. The wine is transferred back to tanks for settling, and then undergoes a coarse filtering prior to bottling. The wines are not treated by fining with fish, egg or nut products, or by fine filtration, and thus retain all their natural tannins and flavours. Further complexity will develop with cellaring.
Our Reserve wines are examples of the winemakers' indulgence. They are produced only when the fruit is of exceptional quality from wine chosen from the best barrels. The Reserve wines undergo a further twelve months of barrel ageing prior to bottling.
This patience in winemaking rewards us with wines blessed with a delightful and captivating complexity of aromas and flavours, and a palate that is velvety smooth and deliciously long. A winemaker's indulgence indeed.
