Moss Wood 2012 Amy’s

Vintage Notes

A very good quality year.

From 2007 to 2014 we have had an unprecedented run of favourable seasons. With the 2012 vintage, there were definitely no excuses because we had just about everything in our favour. The calendar year had slightly above average rainfall of 1048mm but usefully for us, 52mm, 49mm, and 27mm fell in October, November, and December, respectively. The timing was perfect, avoiding the crucial stages in flowering.

On cue, the weather turned warm and dry in January, the average temperature was 23.03⁰C, slightly more than 2⁰ above average and only 2mm of rain fell. We recorded 53 hours above 33⁰C, plenty to ripen the fruit flavours, and the last 2 weeks gave us regular maxima in the mid-thirties culminating in the hottest day of the summer - 39⁰C on the 25th. Things then eased and we had 9mm of rain in the first week of February which signaled the end of hot Summer weather and we received only a further 12 hours above 33⁰C.

All varieties were able to proceed at a steady but leisurely pace, to full ripeness.

PRODUCTION NOTES

All grapes were handpicked and once at the winery the fruit was destemmed into a combination of small, open fermenters and large, static fermenters. In the former, extraction was by hand plunging 4 times per day and in the latter, each batch was pumped over 3 times per day.

The skin contact time was managed according to taste and pressing was done when each batch had the best tannin balance. The various different batches spent between 10 and 20 days on skins. After pressing, each batch was allowed to settle in stainless steel tank before being racked off gross lees and undergoing malolactic fermentation. After this was completed, all the various batches were blended and the final blend was returned to barrel. The final blend consisted of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, 18% Malbec and 18% Merlot.

Since our aim with this wine is to preserve the primary fruit characters, it spends only slightly longer than one year in barrel. The 2012 was racked and blended 23rd January, 2014, fining trials were carried out and it was decided to treat the wine with egg whites. Once this was done, the wine was sterile filtered and bottled.

CELLARING NOTES

It is our intention with this wine to capture the best of its youthful fruit characters so as to provide attractive early drinking and this is our recommendation for it. However, the fruit depth and composition are such that it will develop additional complexity and softness over the next 5 years.