Inspirational Batch 10 Merlot

Grape selection by hand @23.5 ºB sugar, harvesting takes place early morning. Stored at 14 ºC in cold room for 12hours. Grapes, de-stemmed into bins, small stems removed by hand and Cold soaking, 4 days. Berries processed into foudre tanks and open top fermenters for spontaneous fermentation. Juice racked and returned 3 x daily over the skins and open top fermenters punched down 3 x daily. @5ºBrix, opened top fermenters are pressed and fermented juice to be added to Foudre tanks to fill the tanks. Post maturation takes place on the skins for 4weeks to create good natural tannin structure. Malolactic fermentation to complete on the skins. Berries pressed, wine to tank, for settling of lees.

Wine racked into 85% Foudre, French oak(8th fill) and 15% new 500L French Oak Barrels for maturation. 14 months matured, before its naturally stabilised and bottled.