2019 Hazel's Vineyard Zinfandel

A lifted nose of spiced red plums, raspberries and star anise combine with red liquorice and cinnamon stick. The medium bodied palate displays cranberry confection, sour cherries and dried flowers, and is driven by a lovely acidity. The structure is silky, yet defined by chocolate-like tannins. This fruit driven Zinfandel is guaranteed to please as a young wine but will improve with careful cellaring over the years.

Vintage Notes

Vintage 2019 required meticulous vineyard management as a result of cooler than average temperatures, wet conditions and low sun exposure. Careful canopy management, precise picking decisions and accurate fruit sorting were essential for producing high quality wines. The Marri trees didn’t blossom and the birds were hungry resulting in a lower than average yield despite our extensive netting program. Smaller canopies in our dry farmed vineyards and regular leaf plucking enabled us to pick ripe, clean fruit and produce whites with excellent purity and great natural acidity. Reds benefited from the long ripening season showing elegant tannins and great aromatic lift.

Grapes

100% Single Vineyard Zinfandel Lodi clone

District of Origin

100% Margaret River

Vineyard

100% Hazel’s Vineyard. Our southernmost vineyard, which is more inland than our Burnside and Calgardup vineyards, combines cooling Southern Ocean influences with a northerly aspect and plenty of sunshine. The fruit is sourced from a small block at the western side of our property where the Lodi clone delivers small and intense bunches of fruit.

Winemaking

Grapes were hand harvested and fermented in concrete vats with a small amount of whole clusters (about 15%). Fermentation was completed by the indigenous yeast and the juice was gently pressed to old American and French hogsheads after 8 days. Malo-lactic fermentation was completed in spring when the wine received its first and only sulphur addition. After maturation for 16 months in our cellars the wine was bottled without fining in August 2018 after a coarse filtration.

Analysis

Alc 14.2%