2009 Westgate Vineyard Grampians Shiraz

My favourite vineyard in the region. Its oldest vines are now over 40yrs old. It is a much cooler site on an easterly aspect which loses the sunlight an hour or two earlier than nearby sites, delaying ripening by a week or two. This wine is very similar to the 2008 wine, both in terms of ripeness level and yield, being picked at approx. 13.3 be. Grapes were 100% destemmed and wild fermented in 500lt open oak puncheons over 19 days before resting for 14 months in French oak, approx 33% of which was new, from Francois Freres and Gillet coopers. The slightly lower new oak regime compared to 2008 has helped this wine immeasurably I think, and it is to me the most complete Westgate to date. The vineyard tends to exhibit very floral Shiraz characters and wonderful length without being heavy or hard. Again bottled without fining or filtration

– Vine Age: approx 41 years
– 13.5% alc.pH3.48
– Total Acidity 6.7g/l
– 200 dozen produced