2014 The Mallee Root

After a good growing season there was no rain at all over summer 2014 stretching through to the end of vintage, at the start of April. The flavours had the opportunity to develop fully as good acids and low ph came into balance. The fruit was handpicked, starting with the Malbec in mid-March and the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot on 2nd April.

The Victory Point vineyard has never been irrigated and the roots are now deep and established and have the strength to cope with the variances each vintage brings. This is, of course, what we are trying to achieve and the intensely flavoured fruit is reflecting the warm vintage.

It is anticipated that wines of this vintage will be long lasting wines, which are big in flavour and style.

Vinification

On delivery to the winery the whole bunches are de-stemmed in individual batches to open fermenters. The tanks were hand plunged and regularly tasted to determine completion of ferment. The wine was pressed and racked to barrel where malolactic fermentation took place. French oak barrels were used, 50% of which were new. The wine varieties were vinified separately, aged in barrel for approximately 17 months before extensive blending trials were undertaken to establish the perfect blend.

The finished wine was bottles in November 2015. Alcohol 14%.