in the vineyard : The grapes for this wine were sourced from dryland bush vines, established 140 metres above sea level. Facing south-west, the vineyards are established in sandy, loamy soil with a yellow clay substructure, ensuring good drainage and water retention. They were between 25 and 35 years old at the time of harvest.
about the harvest: Grapes were hand-harvested in early February, when fully ripened, at between 23.5°Balling, with an average yield of five tons per hectare.
in the cellar : The juice was given four to five days skin contact and the free run juice was fermented in open tanks. Fermentation occurred spontaneously from natural yeast cells on the grape skins. This has been the procedure followed by the Dumas family and has never failed. It allows for subtler bu deper flavours where tannins are less evident.
The cap was regularly punched under by hand for maximum extraction of colour, flavour and tannins. At 8-10 Balling the juice was seperated from the skins, pressed and only the free run juice was used for the wine. Fermentation was completed in closed tanks and after spontaneous malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked from the lees and matured in small French wood for 12 to 18 months before the final blend was made up.