Description
In traditional usage, “Tête de Cuvée” refers to the wine of the highest quality.
Sourced from the Smith Vineyard in Beechworth, fruit was selected from the top 10 rows of the North-East facing Cabernet Sauvignon block and the small, low yielding Merlot block. In the best growing seasons, the resulting blend is elevated to the Tête de Cuvée release.
Hand picked fruit was destemmed and crushed prior to fermentation whereby a combination of pump-overs, rack and returns and plunging was utilized for cap management. Post-fermentation, the Cabernet Sauvignon was held on skins for a further 18 days. The wines were pressed to French oak barriques consisting of 50% first use and 50% second use. After 12 months, the wines were racked to old 600 litre thick stave oak casks for a further 8 months prior to bottling.
The 2019 Tête de Cuvée consists of Cabernet Sauvignon (69%), Merlot (29%) and Petit Verdot (2%).
2019 harvest date: 15th March – 30th March
Bottled: 22nd January 2021
