Blend: 39% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec
Analysis:
Alcohol: 14.5% | PH: 3.66 | Titratable acidity: 5.7 g/L
Bottling Date: August 2015
Cellaring: 10+ years
Tasting Notes:
Burrowing Owl’s flagship blend opens on aromas of cassis, red currant, roasted red pepper, chocolate, paprika and some pretty violet floral notes in the background along with a hint of toasty oak. The palate is firmly structured with a full body and genuine intensity. There is toast, creamy oak, a mixture of red and black cherry, blueberry, black plum and some complexity added with baking spice and a little marzipan. It has the structure and flavours to age well, but you can also enjoy now paired with slow roasted lamb shoulder or beef Wellington.
Rhys Pender, Master of Wine
Wine Making:
Percentages of the components in the blend vary from vintage to vintage
but are always precisely selected to offer you the best possible “assemblage”.
The 2013 early spring allowed for an even bud break, flowering and fruit set. Summer heat ripened the grapes nicely and the cool autumn provided conditions for the acidity to be retained giving the wines a lively freshness to balance the ripe fruit.
All five grape varieties were harvested by hand from Burrowing Owls’ estate vineyards in October and November. They were vinified and barrel aged separately for 18 months. During this period we revisit the potential blend on four separate occasions, constantly tweaking and changing it until we are satisfied we have found the most accurate expression of the vintage and the Terroir. After the components are combined, they are barreled for another three months to achieve their full integration. The wine is then bottled and is left to further mature in a temperature controlled environment before its release.
