Region: Rylstone, Mudgee NSW

Terroir: This fruit comes from a single vineyard in Rylstone, which is a cooler climate region well suited to Petit Verdot. The vineyard is located at 630m altitude, avoiding the hot temperatures in the summer resulting in a slow ripening season, adding to the complexity of the wine. The vineyard block is on sloping reddish brown clay-loam mixed with sandstone and pebbles, providing good drainage and mineral input.

Tasting Notes: This is not a wine for the faint-hearted, redolent of warm Mudgee summers with the smokiness of a distant bushfire. Dusty blackcurrant characters immediately assail the nose with sweet cedar and sandalwood notes following. If you can inhale just round the edges you’ll also see a spiciness... is it eucalyptus or paprika, lanolin, white pepper or maybe even jasmine?? That’s what we call a complex nose! And then there’s the palate ... smooth and rich, with fine, well-integrated tannins. With all of the above add in some blackberry and Satsuma plums in a cigar box. 

Food Matching: While it’s young, team it with kangaroo steaks, or a substantial cheddar. This is a big wine, so go big with the foodie imagination.

Cellaring: Drink from 2017, great drinking from 2020 or cellar to 2025+