2018 Jade Moon Cabernet Franc Blend

The 2018 growing season was a season of contrasts. The winter (2017) was very dry; June was the driest June on record. We followed our normal practice of pruning quite late to help avoid spring frosts at Koomooloo. As has been the case in the last decade, the seasonal patterns are showing quite a bit of variability – so the spring rains didn’t arrive until November/December. The season was warm and dry from January until harvest. The soils at Koomooloo are deep and have good water holding capacity, so even with low rainfall we still produced an excellent, balanced crop. Yields were moderate, with quality potential excellent. Fruit was picked from Block 2 at Koomooloo Vineyard, 29-year-old vines. The vines were shoot thinned and leaf plucked in spring and just prior to veraison (colour change of bunch) crop thinned (3 tonne/hectare). The fruit was handpicked and chilled overnight. Destemmed into open fermenter. Lightly plunged twice a day until spontaneous fermentation 4 days later, thenirrigated with sprinkler twice a day until near completion of fermentation, then plunged for a further 14 days. The fruit was pressed gently only, then transferred to 75% new French oak barrels. Racked once during 20 months in barrel then bottled.

"Deep, red colour, intense fruit, strong blackberry with very fine integrated oak aromas. Strong intense varietal flavours. Showing great complexity and balance of fruit flavours, spicy oak and firm tannins. A beautiful example of Cabernet Franc varietal. At least 25 years of careful cellaring. The 2018 is finer and softer than previous year but similar varietal intensity." PS