The 2017 vintage was set up by an extremely wet Spring growing season, where many areas of the Barossa were in flood. This, in combination with rains in early summer allowed for good crop levels and water availability for the entire growing season. The late growing season was dry and mild, resulting in a long, slow ripening period that allowed the grapes to retain finesse and an elegant fruit profile while building intensity and depth.

Varied winemaking techniques from traditional open fermenters and modern sweeping arm fermenters were used to provide distinctive components for the blend. The individual vineyard blocks were harvested and crushed separately to fermenters. Fermentation was controlled between 20 and 28’C with time on skins, ranging from 10 to 21 days, carefully monitored to allow the wine parcels to develop power without compromising their elegance or freshness. Small elements containing whole bunch in the ferment where utilised to drive complexity and differentiation. Following pressing, individual vineyard batches were matured separately, the majority in French oak and a portion of American oak with around 50% being first use. The preference towards French oak was to target a tighter, more structural and elegant expression of Barossa Shiraz. Total maturation in oak was 18 months with a rack and return post malolactic fermentation. Each barrel was assessed for quality and appropriateness of wine style with only those best suited being utilised in the final blend. Further maturation in bottle post bottling is utilised to allow the wine to integrate further prior to release.