Foundation Range Cabernet Merlot 2008

Tasting notes

• Vineyard Region Coonawarra, SA
• Vintage Conditions Following a dry winter, early spring rains resulted in excellent budburst, good vine health and fruit development, with the vines showing little effect from the previous year's frost. Most reds were picked between mid March and early April producing intense wines with great colour, rich, ripe flavours and fine tannins.
• Grape Varietal 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
• Vinification and Maturation The individual Cabernet and Merlot fruit parcels were fermented on skins and rolled twice daily to ensure maximum extraction of colour and flavour. Once the wine was pressed off skins it was pumped to new (30 per cent) and used French, American and Hungarian oak to complete primary and malolactic fermentation. On completion of fermentation the wine was racked off its lees and pumped back into barrels for another period of maturation. Individual wine parcels were assessed before deciding the final blend.
• Winemaker Peter Weinberg's Notes
• Colour Deep crimson red.
• Aroma The richly perfumed fruit driven nose displays ripe blackcurrant, plum and mulberry fruit accompanied by vanilla and spice characters from oak maturation.
• Palate Fresh and vibrant full bodied fruit dominate the palate which displays blackcurrant, blackberry and mulberry primary fruit. These fruit flavours are supported by integrated oak derived flavours of vanilla, mocha and cedar. The wine has a long finish with firm but fine grained tannins.
• Wine Analysis
  Alc/Vol:15.00%pH:3.36TA:6.70 g/L
• Last Tasted 01 FEB 2009
• Peak Drinking Drinking well now however should age well with careful cellaring for up to eight or 10 years from vintage date.
• Food Suggestions
  • Lamb cutlets, seasonal vegetables and 'mint' bernaise;
  • Peking duck

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