Right across South Australia, the 2019 vintage will be remembered as a very challenging one. Very dry conditions persisted throughout the growing season while some areas also had to contend with frost, hail and wind – all of which reduced the crop but helped increase concentration and quality.

This remarkable site has vines that are 100+ years old. The entire site, high in the picturesque Clarendon sub-region of McLaren Vale, is planted entirely with dry grown bush vines and has been farmed by the same family for 3 generations. This wine is sourced from one particular block where the canopy is raised slightly higher above the ground, allowing for better air circulation and increased radiated sunlight. Hand picked on March 10th and transported to the winery, where 20% was retained as whole bunches to be placed on the base of a 2 ton open fermenter. The fruit underwent a wild fermented and was gently hand plunged twice a day during that time. After that, the wine was pressed off, into 300 liter hogsheads, of which 25% were new French oak. A year later, the wine was racked from there to bottle – unfiltered and unfined.