Family Reserve Cabernet

Growing Season
Fruit for this wine was selected from the old cattle yard block. Once again the season was dry with below average rainfall. The vines were cane and spur pruned, as part of ongoing trials on the vineyard to access the best method for producing premium Cabernet in the region. Due to the dry conditions berry size was extremely small and we achieved a yield of 5 tonne to the hectare. The fruit was harvested late in the season however was not affected by late season rain.

Winemaking
This wine is made using only the finest parcels of fruit selected from low yielding vines. Gentle crushing is followed by transfer to the open fermenters where it is cold soaked for 36 hours. Must is then warmed up to 24ºc and inoculated with CSM yeast. Fermentation took place over 8 days with hand plunging every 8 hours. The must was then transferred to the basket press and pressed off at 3 baume before being transferred to American oak and seeded for MLF. Following MLF the wine is racked, stabilised and returned to barrel for maturation for 12 months. The wine is then bottle aged for 6 months prior to release.

Tasting Notes
The Family Reserve Cowra Cabernet received special treatment in the winery, with traditional hand plunging, extended skin contact and 12 months maturation in American oak. This has resulted in a complex wine with excellent balance and structure. The blackberry, violet and chocolate aromas are supported by a smooth, silky palate which will continue to develop in the bottle over the medium term..