The vineyard is located within the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on free draining, north facing terraces.  It benefits from being in the lee of the Teviotdale Range, giving maximum protection from the Pacific’s easterly breezes and thus creating a unique mesoclimate.  The vines are over 30 years old, with a large proportion planted on their own roots.  They are located on the “Glasnevin Gravels” where greywacke stones, silt and loam have been washed down from the mountains over the millennia. The soil is of low fertility, resulting in naturally reduced vine vigour.

This produces low yields of optimally ripened, high quality, flavourful grapes, which fully express the qualities of this unique terroir. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are amongst the coolest in the Waipara
Valley, drawing out the ripening period of the grapes, while still retaining good natural acidity.

THE WINE
It has deep purple hue, reddish brown towards the edges. The nose offers up aromas of raspberry, pomegranate, black cherry, purple plum, chocolate, and spice. Layered beneath this are hints of barbequed meats, grilled mushrooms, and black olive tapenade. On the palate it is richly textured and mouth filling with powerful, but fine-grained tannins that give a silky finish with exceptional length.
Extended maturation in bottle has given this wine a pronounced savoury character, adding complexity and intrigue