WinemakingShiraz Viognier & Sangiovese Merlot Co-fermented in open vats, hand plunged and basket pressed to old French oak barrels then racked once after malolactic fermentation and back to barrel for the rest of the year. Racked and settled. Pinot Gris Hand picked at flavor ripe perfection, chilled and whole bunch pressed. Racked with some juice solids, inoculated in separate parcels with neutral and aromatic yeasts and a long cool stainless steel ferment with a small percentage in seasoned French barriques. Lees were then stirred in tank and barrel aged for 2 months. Pinot Rose The Pinot Noir was chilled and crushed to an air bag tank press, with 8 hours of skin contact and then pressed. Cold settled, racked and inoculated with neutral and aromatic yeasts in separate batches for a long cool stainless steel ferment. Pressings were fined and added to the ferment for color and palate structure.Wine was then racked and blended. Chardonnay Whole bunch pressed to tank then transferred to barrel after 8 hours settling. Barrel fermented at 20-25°C with various cultured and indigenous yeasts. Lees stirred weekly, then monthly after May. 10% of the wine was put through complete malolactic fermentation. Parcels were blended just prior to bottling in early Feb ’06. No fining. Pinot Noir Fruit was hand picked to 300kg crates and chilled before being de-stemmed, but not crushed, to small open fermenters. A 3 day cold soak was followed by an 8 day ferment with hand plunging. After ferment skins were tipped into an airbag press. Wine was then racked off gross lees to oak for malolactic fermentation. ViticultureShiraz Viognier Central Victoria is much cooler than the traditional planting grounds for Aussie Shiraz. Here the fruit ripens slowly. It's a bit of a struggle to be honest. But when it does ripen, one will get white pepper, violets and blueberries with a chewy but not tannic finish. Region Shiraz - Heathcote & Strathbogie regions of Central Victoria Sangiovese Merlot Region Sangiovese -From 20-year-old vines on Libby Tassies Barossa Valley Vineyard Pinot Gris - Victoria Pinot Rose - Yarra Valley Chardonnay - Yarra Valley Pinot Noir - Yarra Valley |
