Cabernet Sauvignon

Single Variety

Clare Valley 60% / Coonawarra 40%

At release, the wine has a deep ruby red colour to the centre with a youthful purple hue to the edges.

There are lifted aromas of dark blackcurrant fruit along with subtle choc-mint and a hint of eucalypt.

On the palate, this is a rich, full-bodied wine with intense flavours of cassis and blackberry fruit along with attractive oak characters of cigar box and tobacco leaf. Overall, the wine is well balanced with complex, well-integrated, elegant tannins providing structure and an intense, persistent length to the finish.

The wine was matured in a mixture of American oak hogshead & barrique barrels (30% 1 year old, 70% 2-3 year old) for 10 - 12 months before being fined, filtered & bottled

2008 was yet another year of challenges in the Clare Valley. Winter rainfall was way below average with July being the only month with near average rains. This rainfall however set the vines up for a good budburst in mid August and another well timed fall in November, just before flowering, allowed for good fruit set. Cool ripening conditions prevailed throughout February, allowing for excellent flavour and tannin development. At the beginning of March an unprecedented heatwave stuck the region and thanks to careful attention in the vineyards, closely managing irrigation to the vines to reduce any potential stress, we managed to offset this to a large degree. In the Coonawarra region, excellent seasonal growing conditions and a dry summer saw an early start to vintage in 2008, with vines showing little effect from the previous year? frost. Despite a dry winter, early spring rains resulted in excellent budburst and enhanced vine health and fruit development. The dry conditions throughout the growing season resulted in low disease pressure. The extreme March heat hastened fruit maturity across all red varieties with flavour, baum? and colour accumulating rapidly, compressing vintage and causing some logistical challenges. Most reds were picked between late March and early April, producing intense wines with great colour, rich ripe flavour and fine tannins. Yields were slightly below average for Cabernet Sauvignon with the wines showing excellent colour, good varietal distinction and ripeness.

Crafted for immediate enjoyment but will cellar over a long term under ideal conditions.

14.50%

6.25

3.50

0.73

Single: 750ml bottle, Case: 6 x 750ml bottle