vintage
The 2024 vintage in Margaret River commenced very early due to the prolonged 7month period of warmer and drier than average months that commenced in Spring (Oct) 2023 and continued throughout the entire Summer and into mid-Autumn (April) 2024.
Fortunately, our vineyards are mature and located on ideal soil types and did not blink at the challenging warm and dry conditions that the 2024 vintage dished up. Although yields were down, flavour intensity and tannin ripeness in our red varieties is superb and we are particularly excited in seeing how these wines mature in barrel and taste in the months and years to come.
winemaking
The fruit was picked cool in the early morning of 3rd March 2024 (3 weeks earlier than average for this Block) before being cold soaked on skins for 5 days. The must started wild fermentation in a small open fermenter with gentle hand plunging of the skins to extract colour and structure without any harsh tannins. When the decision was made to press the ferment off skins, the pressings component was blended back into the free-run to achieve the body and structure of the final wine that we are after.
The dry wine then went straight into previously used French oak puncheons (500L barrels) with no new ones. These larger puncheon barrels retain perfume and freshness whilst achieving a silky and refined palate along with textural complexity – a difficult combination to achieve in red winemaking. Matured for only 9 months. The result is a world class Malbec wine rarely seen as a straight varietal in Australia, let alone out of Margaret River. Un-fined and unfiltered.
region
Margaret River
variety
Malbec
analysis
- Alcohol: 14.5%
- pH: 3.52
- Acidity (TA): 7.22 g/L
