Shiraz

The Shiraz grapes are grown in fruitful sandy limestone soil with excellent water retension capacity. The Shiraz vines are 15 - 17 years old and consistently produces grapes of the highest quality. The fruit is handpicked when optimum flavour levels are reached in the vineyard and delivered to the cellar where any unwanted berries are excluded on the sorting table. Crop levels vary between 8 – 10 tons to the hectare. The fruit is gently crushed to small open fermenters to allow cold soaking for 3 days. Inoculation with selected yeast cultures followed with fermentation lasting between 7 – 14 days @ 20ºC - 26ºC. The cap is gently punched down 3 times a day allowing maximum colour and flavour extraction. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in new and second fill French & American oak and allowed to mature for 16 - 18 months. A rich combination of ripe berry flavours with aromatic pepper and spice notes are complimented by balanced oak undertones. A full bodied and complex wine with a lingering aftertaste.