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Vineyards
Sourced from two vineyards, 400m apart, at Scotsburn, 1.5 km from Mt Buninyong. The first is on a windswept ridge with 500-million-year-old Ordovician period soils. Part of an old seabed made up of clay and sandy quartz breccia along with sandstone, mudstone, and siltstone. The second is planted in degraded volcanic soils from Mt Buninyong between 50,000 and 80,000 years old. Locally known as chocolate soil, with approximately 35% basaltic gravel and rocks of various sizes. At 500m elevation, warm days are followed by cold nights that always ensure high levels of natural acidity.
Growing Season
The 2021/2022 growing season at Scotsburn began with cool and wet conditions due to the third consecutive La Nina weather pattern. Our already low-cropping Ballarat site was reduced further at flowering by the wet weather, producing tiny bunches of intense fruit. With careful vineyard management keeping the vines healthy, we hand-picked exceptionally late on the 22nd and 29th of April.
Winemaking
Hand-harvested fruit was divided into a portion of whole-cluster and destemmed fruit in open-top temperature-controlled stainless-steel fermenters. After two days, a wild fermentation began, topping out at 28 degrees Celsius, with gentle pump-overs keeping the cap wet and a total of 14 days on skins. Pressed off and settled before racking into 100% French oak barriques, with 33% new.
Tasting Note
Solid ruby in appearance, the nose is slightly reticent at first, with air, the earthy nature of the basalt soils presenting as savoury chicory and brooding damson plum. Flashes of game, root vegetables, shiitake broth and structured tannins indicate the age-worthiness and complex future for this wine. Tom Brushfield, Provenance Wines. (16th May 2024)
Independent Review
"Made from 90% whole berries with a small portion of whole bunches. Matured in barriques (25% new). A lively, light, bright crimson. Fragrant with scents of wild strawberry, cranberry and floral notes. Medium bodied, the palate is lively, fresh and pliant, while refined tannins round out a lovely wine that is both immediately appealing and will also reward four to six years cellaring, if not longer."
95 Points Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion
(Published 07 August 2024)
