2017 R. Lane Vintners Westgate Vineyard Syrah

The Westgate Vineyard, in the hills south of the town of Great Western in the Grampians, has been consistently and unquestionably our highest quality grape source, and we have made wine from these vines since our first vintage in 2004. R. Lane Vintners represents the finest wine we have made and is only released in exceptional years. In 2017 the season was cool and even, and we were able to wait for tannins to build without excessive sugars.  The wine was fermented with ambient yeasts in 1000lt oak fermenters, two destemmed and one all whole bunches. It was pressed after three and a half weeks on skins. The batches were individually matured for eleven months in barrel (a mixture of French puncheons and barriques) before a final ‘best barrels’ selection was blended. In 2017 it comprised 35% whole bunches, and approximately 25% new oak. It was then bottled with no fining or filtration.

"Before anyone gets too excited, let me tell you there were only 65 dozen bottles made, and Rory Lane had just enough room to move in deciding how to handle options normally too small to contemplate. The upshot is a wine made with endless patience from great parcels of grapes. Spicy, zesty black cherry, berry and plum fruits plus numerous secondary aromas and flavours." - James Halliday, 97 points, Wine Companion.

Vine Age 45yrs
13.8% alc.
pH 3.42
Total Acidity 6.3g/l
88 dozen
Vegan