Technical Information
Variety percentage: 100%
Barbera Region: King Valley
Picked: March 2017
Average brix: 24
Vintage 2017
This vintage we had a very wet winter and spring, winter never seemed to end. This seasonal variation in rain meant that we had very cold soils in spring, which delayed bud burst in the vines, and resulted in grape harvest starting a month later than usual. It was quite cool and mild during late December and early January, which lead to maximum flavour development at lower sugar levels in the fruit. The coolness of the vintage conditions was perfect for producing white varieties and early ripening reds.
Vinification
The grapes for this wine were sourced from a grower in the Myrrhee Valley, a small section of the King Valley. This grape variety tends to be quite juicy, so once the fruit was pressed twenty percent was drained off to increase the concentration of wine. 50% of the grapes were fermented in stainless steel bins and the other 50% fermented in open top concrete vats. We used hand plunging to aid soft extraction of the tannins and flavours. The fermentation temperatures were kept between 24 ̊C and 28 ̊C to maintain fruit characters and help develop the mouth-feel of the wine.
Maturation
Fermentation vessel: 16% new oak
Fining agent: egg whites
Oak toasting: 100% Medium
Filtration: earth filtration
The Wine
The wine is a deep rich purple colour. On the nose you are greeted with red fruits, blackberry, cassis, chocolate, and ripe red blood plums; which lead to aromas of sweet charry oak, dried herbs and an earthy savouriness as the wine opens up. The palate is beautifully soft, well rounded and generous, with chalky textured tannins that run the length of the palate and balanced acidity. Flavours of plums, chocolate, red fruits and sweet oak layer the palate resulting in a mouth-filling wine with great longevity.
Final Analysis
Alcohol: 13.5 % Alc/Vol
Acid: 6.3g/L
Bottled: July 2018
Released: January 2020
pH: 3.57
