2009 Murdoch Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

REGION: Adelaide Hills, SA.

HARVEST DATE: 15th April 2009

DATE BOTTLED: 21st July 2010

ALCOHOL: 14.5%

WINEMAKER: Darryl Catlin, Michael Downer

VINEYARD:

The Murdoch Hill Vineyard stands 512m high in the cool climate Adelaide Hills near the township of Oakbank.

• Vine Positioning: A predominately north facing slope,maximizes sunlight and facilitates ripening.

• Soil Structure: Sandy loam over medium clay subsoils.

• Canopy Management: Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP), canopy trimming and spur pruning.

VINTAGE:

The 2009 vintage had a long dry and mild ripening period. During January there was a very hot spell which provided excellent conditions for fruit development and ripening.

WINEMAKING:

Whole bunches were harvested, crushed and fermented on skins.  Regular hand plunging in 2 tonne open fermenters enabled us to fully extract colour, flavour and tannins. The wine was then pressed and matured in a combination of new and older French oak barrels for 14 months before bottling.

STYLE & TASTING NOTES:

Picked from the warmest site in the vineyard, this cabernet shows excellent varietal fruit characteristics of blackberry, cherry and violets. 14 months in the finest French oak has resulted in a well balanced and structured wine.

FIVE STAR ★★★★★WINERY, James Halliday, 2011 Edition