Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (2012)

Region Yarra Valley

Appearance- Deep red with a blue-purple edge.

Bouquet – Gently leafy, bright fruit, violets, black currant and cedarwood.

Palate- Sweet dark and red fruits, layered tannins, savoury, gently concentrated lengthy leafy flavours, balanced acidity.

Suggested Cuisine- Try with dry-aged Sirloin or a generous portion of Comté.

General Characteristics – Dry / Medium Bodied

Cellaring
Drink now or over the next 10 – 15 years from a good cellar.

Vintage Conditions – The 2012 growing season is arguably the best Cabernet growing season seen in over ten years. Mid-autumn ripening, lots of time for tannin development, beautiful aromas and flavours at moderate alcohols. The fruit was hand-picked in the cool of the morning. The fruit is sourced from the six estate vineyards planted in 1987, 1988, 1991 and 1994.

Winemaking – Vines are cane pruned and shoot thinned to 18 bunches per vine. The fruit is destemmed, crushed and tipped into 14-tonne fermenters. The fruit undergoes fermentation and once fermented, is kept at a minimum of 25°C and left on skins for 15-20 days. The wine is pressed, settled overnight and gravity racked to new and used casks where it matures at 16°C for 14 months. The wines were racked from the cask, aerated and returned every three to four months in maturation before assembly in May 2013.

Wine Analysis -Alc/Vol: 13.0% pH: 3.52 TA: 6.3 g/L