Winemaker's notes With Cabernet and its blends, harvest timing is critical so as to ensure optimum balance of flavour and tannin ripeness. Treated individually in small parcels, the fruit was nurtured while on skins to ensure the preservation of fruit characters and extraction of the finest tannins. After an ideal duration of skin contact, each batch was transferred to French oak. The barrel types used were carefully selected to accentuate and enhance the intricate characteristics of the wine. The wine was matured in barrel for 18 months before all batches were graded. The best barrels, from the best batches were selected for this Heytesbury. The combination of nature and nurture has created a sophisticated wine with a strong sense of place.
Colour Bright brick and maroon. Nose Subdued at first, opening slowly to exotic floral, fruit and spice perfumes. Emerging from beneath are blackcurrant and violets from the Petit Verdot, complemented with Autumnal leaves, bay leaf, orange peel, dry oak spice and red gravel dust. Palate Arrives fine and elegant on the palate but still with fruit power, breadth and weight in this fleshy ripe vintage. In classic style the fine, powdery tannins build to a dry finish leaving a breath of subdued fine fruit, florals and Summer forest characters.
Vintage Description
An exceptionally dry Spring resulted in small balanced canopies and early development stages. A very warm Summer with timely rainfall around veraison was followed by rapid ripening to an early vintage. Whites were harvested in a very short time frame though retained good acid. Reds were early but slowed a little with milder conditions in March, resulting in excellent quality reds.
