| Viticultural Information |
| Cultivar |
Merlot |
| Soil type |
Vineyard is planted on a slope that wraps around from North to East on a variety of soil types. |
| Method of trellising |
Two-wire trellis, the first wire 60cm above the ground. |
| Method of pruning |
Cordon trained, with 2 bud spurs. |
| Sugar level at harvest |
24 Balling |
| Yield per hectare |
5 tons / hectare |
| Irrigation regime |
Selective, supplementary irrigation to sustain the vine at an optimal level. |
| Climatic conditions |
Growing season:
After a very cold, wet winter, late September rains enabled accumulation of good moisture reserves in the soil. Late spring and
early summer were essentially cool months, causing vigorous growth, which slowed down ripening and enhanced flavour accumulation.
Harvest:
The cooler ripening season caused the harvest to start a week later than usual. Late February and early March temperature spikes had the cellar under pressure, since the later cultivars ripened at the usual timer. The picking season was shorter than usual. |
| Wood treatment |
Selected tight grain French Oak Barrels |
| Length of barrel maturation |
12 months |