St. Andrews
Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Complex and elegant, offering rich fruit characters of cassis and blackcurrant with earthy nuances. French oak giving hints of cedar and tobacco to finish.
| Previous Vintages | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014 |
|---|---|
| Region | Clare Valley |
| Colour | At release, the wine is a deep, dark garnet colour with a subtle purple hue to the edge. |
| Nose | The wine has an enticing, lifted aroma of ripe blackcurrants, choc mint, subtle spice and a hint of dried tomato leaf. The overall nose character is one of richness and elegance. |
| Vintage Conditions | In the Clare Valley, the growing season in the lead up to vintage 2015 saw slightly higher than average rainfall initially and then very little fell, making it the driest ever August recorded at the estate. These conditions were conducive to frost and there were 14 events recorded. Rainfall for spring was well below average, with further frost events recorded during this time. Not only was the spring weather extremely dry, it was also warm and windy. These conditions had a detrimental impact on flowering with resultant bunch numbers down. December and January were relatively mild, with rain falling during the second week of January. The moisture was a welcome relief after such a dry spring and the vineyards on the estate responding well for both yield and quality. |
| Oak Maturation | Post primary fermentation, the wine was allowed a period of extended skin contact before being pressed and transferred to French oak barrels to complete the secondary malolactic fermentation. Once MLF was completed, the wine was racked off lees, fined and then then transferred back to fine-grained French oak barrels (40% new, 60% 2 - 3 year old) for maturation. After a period of 18 months oak maturation and minimal filtration, the wine was bottled. |
| Cellaring Notes | Crafted for immediate enjoyment but will cellar over a long term under ideal conditions. |