A traditionally wet winter, mild spring and excellent fruit set provided a great start to the 2015 vintage after four vintages with below average yields. Spring was dry and led into
a very mild, dry summer with no disease, resulting in fruit with higher natural acidity, and incredible flavour and colour concentration. It was a dry, warm and windy start to January, with some welcome rain at the end of the month coinciding with the onset of veraison; perfectly timed for the old dry-grown vineyards. Mild weather followed from February through to April providing a fairytale vintage, with most of our white varieties and some Eden Valley shiraz in the winery before Easter. Barossa Valley growers red varieties, together with our estate Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills fruit followed soon after, eventually winding down at the end of April as the rain and cooler temperatures set in.

Complex aromas of spiced plums, ripe raspberries and perfumed florals are complemented by savoury notes of crushed marjoram, beef stock, cracked black pepper and licorice.

On the palate, rich spiced plum flavours combine with ripe red berries, followed by a lift of black pepper and anise spice on the mid-palate; a soft and textural mouthfeel showing both depth and elegance, finishing with wonderfully fine, silky tannins.

Deep crimson with purple hues.

RED BRAISED BEEF |

***Ingredients***:

- 1.5kg beef sirloin straps, cut into 3cm cubes
- 6 star anise pods
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 5 pieces of liquorice root
- ¼ cup dried mandarin peel
- 400g rock sugar
- 1 bunch spring onions,½ cut into 5cm long batons and ½ sliced into long strips and placed in i - iced water for spring onion curls
- ¼ cup ginger, roughly sliced into thin pieces
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1 cup light soy sauce
- ½ cup dark soy sauce
- 2 cups jasmine rice

***Method***:

1. Put about 2 litres of water on to boil.
2. Once the water is boiled, blanch the beef in boiling water for about 5 minutes to get rid of impurities then drain in a chinois (a conical sieve with extremely fine mesh).
3. In a 5 litre pot, place star anise, cinnamon sticks, liquorice root, dried mandarin, rock sugar, spring onion batons, ginger, water, Shaoxing wine, light soy and dark soy in the pot and bring to boil. Simmer for a further 20 minutes.
4. Add the blanched beef to the pot and cook for a further hour on a very low setting.
5. Taste for balance. If a little strong in flavour, add a small amount of water.
6. Serve with jasmine rice and garnish with spring onion curls.

***Serves 4.***

Matured in seasoned French hogsheads for 10 months prior to blending and bottling.

The 2015 vintage has provided stunning signature regional varieties that show extraordinary flavour, purity of fruit and acid balance with the potential for excellent ageing.