The season began with good winter and spring rains, although there were some isolated black frost pockets in October. Good set at flowering continued on to our hottest summer on record. Occasional timely thunderstorms arrived to maintain the humidity with a few millimetres of wonderful rain.

Sweet, perfumed, sensuous wild strawberry and cream, plums and rhubarb with sappy hints and vanilla biscuit notes; very attractive.

Soft sweet fruit with a velvety fleshy texture across the seamless palate, silky layered tannins that linger on a long rich finish.

Crimson/ruby in colour.

Pan-fried fillet of trout with shallot, anchovy and red wine butter sauce.

Vintage began two to three weeks early but the heat had the potential to reduce flavours and produce high pHs and frighteningly low acids. With the arrival of milder autumnal weather came a natural rebalancing, providing only average yields but excellent whites and exceptional reds.