Winemaking

Each year the Phantom blend presents something new. This vintage has seen the introduction of two new varieties to the blend, Sangiovese and Tempranillo. Each batch is picked at its optimum maturity for flavour and expression, then fermented separately in open fermenters, plunged daily to extract only the softest tannins and then gently pressed off into French oak for aging. In my mind this is how the wines come together: The Cabernet provides the base line for structure, the Shiraz, sweetness, the Tempranillo adds spice and richness, and the Sangiovese and Mourvedre are all about the finish, adding weight, brightness and soft integrated tannins.

Vintage Notes

Good winter rains in 2011 gave the vines plenty of reserves for the 2012 growing season. Spring was dry and mild encouraging even and balanced growth. We shoot thin during the growing season to encourage dappled sunlight on the fruit zone and to eliminate “crowding” of bunches. Vintage commenced earlier, which allowed us to harvest when sugars were low, natural acids high, yet maintaining tannin and phenological ripeness at full maturity. 2012 has been hailed from the outset as “the vintage of flavour” and this wine epitomizes that. The wines from the 2012 vintage will sit very strongly along side the greats of 1998, 2002 and 2004.