• High Altitude Vineyard.
• Fermentation with Natural Yeasts.
• Aged in New French Oak.
  

A modern, fresh Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards were traditionally planted near the valley floor as it was too cold for grapes to ripen properly at higher elevations. Climate change has made the valley floors much hotter than in the past. To recapture the cooler climate that makes for complex balanced wines, we decided to make a new Cabernet Sauvignon from high altitude vineyards.

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Origin: Elgin
Vineyard Clone: CS15C / CS15 M
Soil: Hutton and Clovelly
Elevation: 750ft to 1050ft
Yield: 4.5 to 5.3 tons/acre
Trellising: Smart-Dyson trellising
Irrigation: Drip irrigation, only used once as there is more moisture and rain at the high altitude in Elgin.
Harvest: Hand harvested (no space to get machines in).
Cooling: Kept on skins with cooling for 3 days.
Vinification: Natural yeast only, no commercial yeast or acid added. Open cask fermentation, manual punchdowns and pump-over, pressed after alcoholic fermentation, transferred to oak after malolactic fermentation. 
Oaking: 26 Months in 50% new French oak, 50% in older oak with new inserts, all 500 liter barrels. French oak barrels from Alliers and Nevers, mixed treatment (medium toast plus).
Technical details: ALC - 14.1 % VOL; pH - 3.6; RS - 2.2 g/l; TA - 6.2 g/l

Winemakers Notes:
High altitude vineyard yields fresh, lighter-style trademark cassis & subtle violet note. Savory & succulent followed with a black fruit spectrum of fruits, and beautifully supported by oak and a lingering aftertaste. Complex and long lasting, this wine will reward further bottle ageing for 8-20 years.