in the vineyard : Climate
Mediterranean rainfall 650mm per annum. The vineyards are situated on north facing slopes at the upper end of the valley, hence the slightly warmer and more moderate climatic conditions, resulting in optimum grape berry ripeness. Situated in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, cool sea breezes help reduce the vineyard temperatures during the summer months, extending the ripening period and thus allowing for big well-structured wines to develop.
Soil:
The soil is a mixture of weathered granite and a small percentage of clay, Clovelly and Hutton structure. Deep and red in colour, the soil shows good water retention, allowing for only moderate vine stress during dry years. Soil moisture is carefully monitored and supplemented by drip irrigation in very dry years only.
in the cellar : Vnification
The grapes were harvested in February 2005. WE 372 yeast was used with the fermentation temperature about 26C. Fermentation on the skins took place over a period of 16-days. Malolactic fermentation followed in stainless steel tanks and was completed in the barrels. The wine was left to mature for 20 months in 75% French and 25% American barriques, after which it received a light filtration prior to bottling.