2024 Cabernet Franc
Tasting Notes
Bright dark purple-red in colour. Lifted aromas of dark blue and red fruits with bay leaf and smoky undergrowth on the nose. The palate is full of mulberry, blood plums and bluestone. It’s both savoury and sweet in equal measure and is perfectly medium bodied.
Vintage
Mild winter led to earlier than usual bud burst which resulted in an early vintage. The season was cool and wet again (just like 20, 21 & 23). The largest dump of rain came in January (180mm) which presented a massive challenge for the vineyard team. Lots of hard work delivered the winery team a beautifully clean and ripe crop. The Cabernet Franc was harvested on the 29th February, a leap year baby!
Vineyard
Cabernet Franc from 40-year-old, ungrafted vines on a warm, west-facing slope at our Lightfall Vineyard in Healesville.
Vinification
Hand picked and transported all of 20 metres to the winery. Half the fruit was destemmed and put into the bottom of an open pot fermenter, the other half was left as whole bunches and put on top. The ferment was wrapped up with lots of CO2 cover for carbonic fermentation. Pressed off to old oak for 10 months maturation before bottling unfined and unfiltered.
