Dry Grown Cabernet Franc 2021
2021 Dry Grown Cabernet Franc
MOUNT BARKER WESTERN AUSTRALIA
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Alcohol 13.5%. a/v
TASTING NOTES
100% Cabernet Franc from our Dry Grown Vineyard, we have 9 rows. The medium bodied wine has lovely juicy fresh choc mint characteristics, mouth filling with a dry elegant finish. Lots of Natural tannins, no oak or tannin additions just a bit of extra time on skins. Minimal Fining and filtration. Excellent with succulent roasted pork belly.
VINEYARD
Fruit sourced from our 46 year old 12 hectare Dry Grown Vineyard. Our old vines are not irrigated; something quite unusual in these days of mass commercial production. Having smaller fruit fosters an intensity of the flavour, with most of the colour and tannin of the grape being concentrated in or near the skin. The characteristically cool climate of the district ensures slow ripening of the grapes, which also allows for the development of rich flavour and quality grape juice. Grown on ancient gravely loams, our old vines are all cane pruned and yield 2 tonne per hectare. Galafrey harvest their grapes from mid-March to late April depending on the season
VINTAGE COMMENTS
After 2 years of lower volumes and drier years. This year was a reminder of what vintage is always like, fast pace as you battle the weather. Did you love the 2013 reds? Intense in flavour. Well, that is 2021. Big wines, big flavours and not that easy to juggle in the winery. The biggest difference this vintage was the rainfall in Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb with 121ml of rain. A wet February saw 51 ml fall for the month to start us of for vintage. January max temp was 39.5 degrees, February was 36.2, March was 37 degrees. With lots of beastly eastly drying winds in the first few weeks of the January.
WINEMAKING
The dry, cool to mild climate of the Great Southern region will produce classic Cabernet Franc, wines with great depth of flavour and structure. We endeavour through meticulous fruit selection and wine production sympathetic to the vintage conditions to produce a classic well-made Cabernet Franc. Produced from 40 year old vines we have 9 rows of Cab Franc. Fruit is mechanically harvested ripe and brought into the winery under cool conditions. 20 % whole bunch. Pressed into tank and keep on skins for 20 days to allow for the best extractions of flavour and colour. Once finished fermentation finished minimal filtration is given to allow the wine to be at full flavour and expression before bottling.
