Vintage 2009: A very dry winter was followed by a hot January which segued into a dry, mild conclusion to vintage. Small crops of both whites and reds were the result of dry conditions in winter and the preceding 3-4 years. In the case of the red varieties, the longer you waited for them the better they got.
Winemaking: Traditionally made in open fermenters and matured in a mixture of both old (60%) and new (40%) French and American oak. Of the new oak component, 90% was French and the balance American. The Cabernet Sauvignon has benefited from the addition of a small percentage of ‘cordon cut’ ‘Amarone’ style Cabernet which was left to dry on the vine for about two weeks after harvest. Separately fermented and matured, it was blended back just prior to bottling. The ‘Amarone’ style component adds an interesting dimension to this single vineyard wine.