Vintage conditions

Drought conditions were less intense for the 2020 vintage with also some rainfall during the growing period unlike 2015, 2016 and 2017and 2018 where the vineyards experienced more extreme drought conditions. Severe water restrictions were in place and the dams were critically low throughout the year. This impacted the overall concentration of flavour and tension of the wine considerably. The garnet colour shows a darker and more intense core than earlier vintages.

Vinification details

Bunches were de-stemmed and 60% crushed and the berries were hand sorted. The mash from the various batches was cold soaked for three days in stainless steel tanks before yeast activity began where colour and some tannin extraction occurred. Fermentation was either spontaneous or some batches inoculated with a yeast culture depending on site – soil and style elements. Juice and skin were punched down with a paddle, known as pigeage and turned daily to control even heat distribution between the skin cap on top and must juice below. Tannin and flavour extractions from the skins were carefully monitored at this stage. Once fermentation was completed, the wine was tasted and selected on tannin and flavour attributes and manually pressed in an 800kg capacity stainless steel basket press. The combinations selected were kept as separate fractions to create as many blending profiles as possible for the final assemblage. The secondary Malo-lactic fermentation was completed in 225 Lt oak casks where, once all the malic acid had converted to lactic acid, was decanted off the solid lees (dead yeast cells) and further matured for 9 to 12 months in a combination of new, second, third and fourth filled Burgundy coopered casks. Once maturation was completed, each barrel was assessed, and the resultant blend of the chosen barrels were assembled and then lightly filtered to bottle.

Tasting video

With owner and winemaker Cathy Marshall.

Vintage conditions

Drought conditions were less intense for the 2019 vintage with some rainfall during the ripening period unlike 2015, 2016 and 2017 and 2018 where Elgin experienced more extreme drought conditions. The garnet colour shows a darker and more intense core than earlier vintages.

Vinification details

Bunches were de-stemmed and crushed (60%) and berries were hand sorted. The mash from the various batches were cold soaked in stainless steel tanks for three days before yeast activity began where colour and some tannin extraction occurred. Fermentation was either spontaneous or some batches were inoculated with a culture, depending on site – soil and style elements. Juice and skin were punched down and turned daily to control even heat distribution between the skin cap on top and must juice below. Tannin and flavour extractions from the skins were carefully monitored at this stage.

Once fermentation was completed, the wine was tasted and selected on tannin and flavour attributes and manually pressed in an 800kg capacity stainless steel basket press. The combinations selected were kept as separate fractions to create as many blending profiles as possible for the final assemblage. The secondary malolactic fermentation was completed in 225L oak casks where, once all the malic acid had converted to lactic acid, it was racked off the solid lees and further matured for 9 to 12 months in a combination of new, second-, third- and fourth-filled Burgundy coopered casks.

The approach to chemical additions and mechanical intervention is kept to the absolute minimum so that the natural integrity of the variety is respected and expressed. Once maturation was completed, each barrel was assessed and the resultant blend of the chosen barrels were assembled in a stainless steel tank and then lightly filtered to bottle.

Tasting video

With owner and winemaker Cathy Marshall.

Vintage conditions

2018 was another long, dry growing season, like 2015, 2016 and 2017 with more extreme drought conditions and severe water restrictions in place as dams were critically low throughout the year. This impacted the overall concentration of flavour and texture of the wine considerably. The garnet colour shows a darker and more intense core than previous vintages.

Vinification details

Bunches were de-stemmed and crushed (60%) and berries were hand sorted. The mash from the various batches were cold soaked in stainless steel tanks for three days before yeast activity began where colour and some tannin extraction occurred. Fermentation was either spontaneous or some batches were inoculated with a culture, depending on site – soil and style elements. Juice and skin were punched down and turned daily to control even heat distribution between the skin cap on top and must juice below. Tannin and flavour extractions from the skins were carefully monitored at this stage.

Once fermentation was completed, the wine was tasted and selected on tannin and flavour attributes and manually pressed in an 800kg capacity stainless steel basket press. The combinations selected were kept as separate fractions to create as many blending profiles as possible for the final assemblage. The secondary malolactic fermentation was completed in 225L oak casks where, once all the malic acid had converted to lactic acid, it was racked off the solid lees and further matured for 9 to 12 months in a combination of new, second-, third- and fourth-filled Burgundy coopered casks.

The approach to chemical additions and mechanical intervention is kept to the absolute minimum so that the natural integrity of the variety is respected and expressed. Once maturation was completed, each barrel was assessed and the resultant blend of the chosen barrels were assembled in a stainless steel tank and then lightly filtered to bottle.

Tasting video

With owner and winemaker Cathy Marshall.

Vinification details

Bunches were de-stemmed and partially crushed and berries were hand sorted at the crusher. The whole berry fraction amounted to about 20% and was soaked overnight in stainless steel tanks before yeast activity began where colour and some tannin extraction occurred. Fermentation was either spontaneous or some batches were inoculated with a culture, depending on site – soil and style elements. Juice and skin were punched down and turned daily to control even heat distribution between the skin cap on top and must juice below.

Once fermentation was completed, the wine was tasted and selected on tannin and flavour attributes and manually pressed in an 800kg capacity stainless steel basket press. The combinations selected were kept as separate fractions to create as many blending profiles as possible for the final assemblage. The secondary malo-lactic fermentation was completed in 225L oak casks where, once all the malic acid had converted to lactic acid, it was racked off the solid lees and further matured for 9 to 12 months in a combination of new, second-, third- and fourth-filled Burgundy coopered casks.

The approach to chemical additions and mechanical intervention is kept to the absolute minimum so that the natural integrity of the variety is respected and expressed. Once maturation was completed, each barrel was assessed and the resultant blend of the chosen barrels were assembled in a stainless steel tank and then lightly filtered to bottle.

Vintage conditions

Another long, dry growing season, similar to 2015, with no serious rain from November to harvest.

Vinification details

Bunches were de-stemmed and partially crushed and berries were hand sorted at the crusher. The whole berry fraction amounted to about 20% and was soaked overnight in stainless steel tanks before yeast activity began where colour and some tannin extraction occurred. Fermentation was either spontaneous or some batches were inoculated with a culture, depending on site – soil and style elements. Juice and skin were punched down and turned daily to control even heat distribution between the skin cap on top and must juice below.

Once fermentation was completed, the wine was tasted and selected on tannin and flavour attributes and manually pressed in an 800kg capacity stainless steel basket press. The combinations selected were kept as separate fractions to create as many blending profiles as possible for the final assemblage. The secondary malo-lactic fermentation was completed in 225L oak casks where, once all the malic acid had converted to lactic acid, it was racked off the solid lees and further matured for 9 to 12 months in a combination of new, second-, third- and fourth-filled Burgundy coopered casks.

The approach to chemical additions and mechanical intervention is kept to the absolute minimum so that the natural integrity of the variety is respected and expressed. Once maturation was completed, each barrel was assessed and the resultant blend of the chosen barrels were assembled in a stainless steel tank and then lightly filtered to bottle.