Vintage Note: The 2019 season was a rollercoaster… with fluctuating temperatures and rain events throughout Spring resulting in a very successful flowering in the Gruyere and Tarrawarra sub regions. Beautiful moderate weather in early summer gave us rich dark green canopies, so that despite a few heat spikes in January, we had access to plenty of pristine bunches at harvest. The colour and tannin ripeness in the Syrah, Carignan and Grenache are some of the best we have seen. All three varieties were highly perfumed, yet rich and ripe.
Winemaking Notes: The Syrah comes from the Sexton and Tarraford Vineyards, the Carignan and the Grenache are grown at the Tarraford Vineyard. The Syrah is predominantly the Red Dog 67 clone that we have propagated from our original block 2 vines – that clone is unique to Tarraford and carries a special perfume. Each variety and parcel is fermented separately in small open vats with varying degrees of whole bunch and whole berry fermentation, before being matured in large and small oak for 18 months. The final blend was completed in the Spring of 2020 and left in tank to settle and come together until bottling just before Christmas, by gravity, no fining, no filtration. This blend is inspired by the band of fresh delicious early drinking reds being produced in the cool regions of Australia.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Variety: Syrah, Carignan, Grenache blend