John Duval - Integro 2017 750ml

"Cabernet Sauvignon has only recently become a prominent feature on the Barossa vineyard landscape, and older planting are exceptionally rare. And whilst the variety performs well in the warm conditions of the Barossa Valley, we believe the best sites are to be found in the Eden Valley, where the cooler conditions prolong ripening and promote expression of more classic Cabernet characters. Following maturation, we blended in a small parcel of our finest Shiraz to promote mid palate richness and soften the tannin profile of the Cabernet. We believe this creates a more balanced and harmonious wine – a wine true to the name Integro.

2017 Vintage:
The 2017 vintage year was defined by above average preceding winter and spring rains which restored sub soil moisture levels and replenished dams on the vineyard site. Generally milder summer conditions and cooler than average temperatures through the ripening period delayed harvest of the Cabernet until 17th April.

Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from a single vineyard site to the east of the township of Springton. The vineyard itself is one of the oldest vineyards in Australia, with the earliest plantings going back to 1858. Best estimates put the earliest planting date of the Cabernet vines at this vineyard in the 1890’s, making these some of the oldest Cabernet vines still on their own roots anywhere in the word. The site was once part of an ancient sea bed, the thin loam soils sit above a substrate of red clay containing rose quartz and black mica schist fragments. The vines produce very low yields of intensely flavoured berries.

The Shiraz component was a blend of exceptional old vineyards from the Barossa Valley. The Cabernet (90%) and Shiraz (10%) components were fermented separately for 8 days on skins in small open top stainless steel fermenters with twice daily pump overs to extract colour, flavour and tannin. The Cabernet was aged in a mix of new (50%) and 3rd use (50%) French oak hogsheads for 18 months. The wine was then blended with the Shiraz component and bottle aged for 2 years before release.

Winemakers' Notes:
Nose: Deep, dark plum and blackcurrant, bay leaf and clove.
Palate: Alive with a vibrant array of intense blue fruit and blackcurrants supported by an elegant framework of poised and precise tannins. Deceptive depth and power all tightly packed and wound up ready to unfurl over many years, finishing long and pure." -John Duval

Style/ Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (90%), Shiraz (10%)
Region: Barossa Valley, SA
ABV: 14.0%
Vol: 750ml