Crooked Path Shiraz 2005 Wine

VARIETAL: 100 Shiraz

GENERAL: The Grapes were sourced from Helvetica Vineyard in the Helderburg, an area renowned for producing excellent quality Shiraz. Helvetica Vineyard is high up above Winery Road, with clear views of False Bay. It is subject to cooling Southerly sea breezes and is rarely excessively warm. 2005 was the third harvest for this vineyard. 2005 was a warm, ripe vintage.

VINIFICATION: The Grapes were picked phenolically ripe at 25.6º Balling.They were destemmed but not totally crushed. A large percentage of the berries were fermented whole. A three day cold soak took place at 14ºC, before different tanks were inoculated with two different yeasts -'D0 ENOB13 and UCLM S377.

Primary fermentation in small stainless steel tanks lasted twelve days with the temperature being kept below 25ºC. The new wine was macerated for a further three days on the skins after which it was gently pressed and racked into barrels. The barrels were 100% older French oak, with a mix of fourth fill and fith fill barriques. Malolactic Fermentation took place in barrel. After MLF, the wine was racked off the lees. A further two rackings took place during it''D5s eighteen months of barrel maturation. The wine was bottled mid-December 2006, with a very light filtration. Twelve months of bottle ageing preceded labelling and release at the end of November 2007.

DESCRIPTION: The colour is intense, purple with a dark core. The nose is highly perfumed and aromatic with apricot and incense notes. Ripe luscious fruit leads to a silky mouthfeel with a voluptuous mid-palate. The fruit is dominant over the spicy notes, due to the use of older wood -'D0 mostly fourth and fith fill barrels.The wine is full bodied and has and extended lingering finish.