The La Niña pattern weakened during the lead-up to the 2012 vintage, resulting in below average winter and spring rainfall. July was the driest since the serious drought of 2003. Spring was mild with few frost events; however, flowering and fruit set were affected by wet drizzly weather in mid to late November, leading to only average yields. Summer was also surprisingly mild with below average temperatures from southerlies off the ocean in January and only two short heat events, at New Year and at the end of February. This provided for slow ripening which allowed for intense fruit flavours, high colour figures, high acidity and mature tannins. Rainfall leading up to vintage was above average, with the heaviest rainfall events in late January and late February, which tied in well with the natural physiology of the dry-grown vines; ie, keeping leaves active at veraison and ripening.

An intense nose of ripe mulberry, plum, blue and black berry fruits and anise gives way to underlying floral violet notes and hints of cassis, sage and pepper spice.

The beautifully balanced palate shows layers of sweet, concentrated fruit and texture, with fine-grained tannins for a long and elegant finish.

Deep crimson in colour.

Penang Curry of Grilled Beef.

Matured in 15% new and 85% seasoned (90% French and 10% American) oak hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.

Temperatures were mild during harvest through March, warming to an Indian summer in April, allowing for a long window of picking and amazing maturities with the red varieties. Standout varieties were riesling, showing delightful aromatics, purity, intensity, excellent acidity and length of flavour; and shiraz, showing great purity and spice, colour, intensity and strikingly mature tannins. Yields were average with exceptional overall quality.