Red 2007

Tasting Notes
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominant, blended with Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Aromas of sweet kirsch, blackberry, black plum and fine cedar notes unfold in the glass and influences of black olive and spice create depth and interest. The palate is firm, with deeply concentrated blackberry and currant providing balance to the minerality and fine grained tannins.

This wine loves food, from slow roasted spring lamb to hot seared steaks. Robust and decadent with complex flavours, 'Red' will complement most classic cuisines, from old school roast beef to fusion inspired gastronomies. Our favourite: aged rib of beef, served rare and accompanied by fresh seasonal vegetables, good glassware and great company. 'Red' can be consumed now but will benefit from further aging, gaining complexity and evolving elegantly over the coming years. Cellaring potential 5-10 years from vintage.

Viticulture                                                                                                                                               2007 was an exceptional vintage, and from this premium year Paritua Red was created. Designated blocks are managed to produce low yields and the vines are crop thinned to one bunch per cane. Manual leaf plucking takes place during veraison and the canopy is kept open to provide good airflow and sun exposure. At optimum ripeness hand harvesting on selected rows begins.

Winemaking
All fruit was hand harvested and transferred to the Paritua winery, just moments away. Whole bunches were destemmed and crushed to closed fermenters and after a period of cold soaking the grape must was inoculated. Temperatures were then managed to reach about 30°C. Once the ferment was dry the wine is tasted to evaluate maceration time, and finally basket pressed to barrel. Malolactic conversion took place in barrel, conducted in temperature controlled rooms (60% new French oak barriques). Trial blending took place several times over the maturation period, with final blending prior to bottling. The wine was bottled after egg white fining and a light filtration.

HARVEST: 2007
2473 CASES MADE
99 BARRIQUES MADE
13.5% ALCOHOL
TA: 5.6
pH: 3.64
CLOSURE: CORK