WHEN WE TOOK OVER MANAGEMENT OF OUR CASSINI VINEYARD IN 2020 IT HAD BEEN CONVENTIONALLY MANAGED SINCE BEING PLANTED IN THE LATE 90S.

WE STARTED A REGENERATIVE VITICULTURE PROGRAMME, AND PAID THE PRICE IN YIELDS IN 2021.WHAT SMALL AMOUNT OF CABERNET SAUVIGNON WE GOT WAS CO-FERMENTED WITH SOME OF OUR SAME-SITE SHIRAZ. ALL FRUIT WAS HAND-PICKED AND DESTEMMED FOR A WHOLE BERRY FERMENT.

WE MANAGED THE FERMENT GENTLY TO AVOID OVER EXTRACTION FROM THE LOW BAUMÉ CABERNET. WE PLUNGED TWICE A DAY UNTIL HALFWAY THROUGH FERMENT, THEN JUST KEPT THE CAP WET. JUST BEFORE GOING DRY IT WAS PRESSED DIRECTLY TO BARREL, WHERE IT STAYED FOR A YEAR TO MELLOW.