2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Technical Data

Vintage

Crop levels for the 2007 Barossa reds were consistently down by 65%, with some blocks across the Valley yielding only 10% of the normal crop level (including, unfortunately, some of ours!!).

After a hot start to the season the actual harvest period was mild and dry. Not to forget though the vexatious 3” of rain that fell just two weeks before the start of harvest to cause a bit of splitting. Nature redeemed herself though, with dry days and a gentle breeze so that the split berries dried up and dropped off, causing no quality problems.

In 2007, due to the slightly unusual nature of harvest, we paid even more attention to our picking regime. We picked many blocks in four different lots to give us a full range of flavours. Hence when we looked at our total vintage, the alcohols for dry red ranged from 12.7% up to 17.2% - sensibly not too much wine at either extreme, but giving us a fascinating palette from which to blend.

Style

Textbook cigar-box nose. A touch of cedar oak giving lift. Plump but firm palate of generous proportions, held in check by fine acidity.

Vinification

Drained off skins at about 2º Baume into 80% French and 20% American oak, the 2007 then slowly finished its journey to dryness whilst starting to integrate the new oak. Prior to this, the wine had been pumped-over twice a day to extract the deep dark colours and fine tannins.