Planted in 1970 (48 years ago) Only local knowledge, a firm hand-shake deal and an outrageous cash exchange allowed us to secure a small parcel this sumptuous fruit. And even then I have to keep it secret. If the other producers find out the vineyard owner will be in trouble and that the end of the fruit.

The unique micro-climate ensures long slow flavour development. Delivering an intensity of concentration and length rarely found anywhere else in the Barossa.

The fruit is harvested in the cool of the night to retain flavour and freshness before destemming and inoculation with specific rare yeast – a Italian strain that specifically ferments at cool temperatures.

It only serves to enhance the natural fruit flavours.

The ferments are undertaken in traditional 1 ton open fermenters for 8 days, each day the fruit is hand plunged pushing the skins under the fermenting juice to assist in great colour and flavour development of the wine. Once a day the juice is drained from the fermenter and then returned over the skins. With approximately 2 Baume the fermenting wine is drained from the fermenter and the skins basket pressed by hand. Total extraction is limited to a maximum of 500 litres per ton – extremely lower compared to an industry average of 750 litres per ton.

The fermenting wine is gravity transferred into a mixture of new and 3 year old French and American hogsheads to complete primary fermentation and malolactic fermentation. Upon completion the wine is racked and returned to mature for a minimum period of 21 months.