Reviews...

Vintage: 2008

Petit Verdot 86%, Cabernet Sauvignon 14%.

Established in 1972 and purchased by the Cumming family in 1989, there is an emphasis on producing high quality varietal table wines. Now over 300 acres of vineyards, only estate grown fruit is used in the production of our wines.

Soil is deep ripped before planting. Vines are spaced at approx one metre, with around 20 buds per vine, and hedged trellised, exposing the grapes to the sun to achieve maximum ripeness. They are cane pruned one year in four followed by three years of spur pruning. All vines are irrigated from the nearby Loddon river with ground level mini sprays. Red wine grapes are planted on heavy clay soil with pieces of limestone present in the soil.

The fruit was harvested on the 20th of March and inoculated at the crusher with a selected yeast strain. Fermenting in stainless steel at 22 degrees Celsius, the cap received a morning pump over with afternoon and evening plunging. Pressing of the skins occurred in a membrane press 1 week after reaching dryness. The wine went through malolactic fermentation in barrel.

The wine has not been fined and only received a coarse 20 micron filtration to bottle.

Maturation occurred in 300L hogsheads for a period of 14 months using a combination of new French oak and 1 to 3 year old American.

Winemakers Tasting Note

The 2008 Petit Verdot is medium ruby in colour with purple hues.

Violets, musk and cinnamon aromas are abundant on the nose with subtle oak adding some vanillin character.

A rich, intense palate of berries and spices is balanced by velvet tannins, resulting in a smooth persistent finish.

While drinking well now, medium term cellaring would allow the wine to develop more secondary complex characters.

Enjoy with rich slow cooked meat dishes, such as shanks, osso buco and game.