Oenology:

This was a year to "play around" with a little skin contact. As Isabel vineyard blocks are entirely picked by hand, we are able to select the very best fruit for a 'little' pre-ferment cold soak. This was always going to be a big wine due to the warmer season and our talented team in the cellar was well prepared to make the most of the more tropical fruit profile of the vintage. To retain freshness, most of the juice was cool stainless tank fermented. A portion was pressed directly into barrel in our underground cellar where slow spontaneous fermentation and later, malolactic fermentation took place.

Viticulture:

The winter of '05 was very mild. Budburst in the spring was around mid September - a week early - and it continued warm and dry, allowing for complete and even flowering. This summer was definitely warmer and one would have to go back to 1998 to experience a season with greater "growing degree days." At the end of January, 40mls of rain came at the ideal time - prior to verasion. Sauvignon crops were slightly below average in bunch numbers and did not require mid summer thinning. Harvest dates arrived with no drama and all blocks were picked by hand of course, at the optimum time.

Tasting Notes:

Everything is happening on the nose here with tropical aromas exploding - like you have crashed your motorcycle into a tropical island fruit stall...! The mid palate is rich and luscious with layered complexity. It offers a viscous persistent finish with the 'classic' Isabel vineyard limestone minerality. A wine that 'feels' like pure indulgence - delicious in its youth, yet undeniably age-worthy.