A key to the success of Ribbon Vale is an astute understanding of how tannins develop through skin contact and fermentation. Through tasting, the right balance between fruit, tannin and the correct time to press is struck. Merlot is a contrary beast, the goldilocks of grapes and the porridge has to be just right. The inclusion of Cabernet Franc fulfills a long time ambition to, fashion Ribbon Vale in the style of the great right bank wines of Bordeaux. Delicious drinking now, for those who prefer the plump young flavours of Medoc in its youth.

$6199each $743DOZEN EACH DOZEN Fruit is hand picked and de stemmed into small, open fermenters. Inoculated to a pure yeast culture and vinified at controlled temperatures peaking at 28C. Each batch is hand plunged thrice daily over the course of a fortnight, regularly tasted to ensure good extraction of flavour and tannin. As fermentation progresses, the treatment of varietal components begins to vary, batches are pressed at varying stages of completion, drained and treated to malolactic. Parcels are filled to a combination of seasoned and new 225 litre French oak barriques, racked and assembled in late summer, followed by an extended term of maturation and unfined bottling.

Deep brick red hue. Concentrated Cabernet fruit aromas of red currant, leather and cedar, complemented by fragrant notes of violets and rose. The Merlot adds mulberry and dark fruit, oak age adds complexity, charry and tarry characters. Generous red and dark fruit flavours give the wine a rich mid palate and good length. Smooth texture, displaying the exceptional balance which is the hallmark of Ribbon Vale.

Exceptional Langtons Classification. The low yielding, unirrigated vines at Mount Mary Vineyard are planted to grey sandy clay loams over broken shale soils. The percentage of each varietal included into Quintet every year is determined largely by the vagaries of vintage, factors such as fruit set and quality of harvest. An extravagantly rich cepage of Cabernet and Merlot, Malbec, Verdot and Cabernet Franc, Quintet exhibits an uncanny balance which drinks beautifully, a slight alcohol lift on finish will see it through for many years to come.

$16699each $2003DOZEN EACH DOZEN Grapes are hand picked and lightly crushed, destemmed and vinified in a mix of closed and open top fermenters for up to ten days while being treated to frequent pumpovers. Upon completion of malolactic and lees settling, the wine is transferred into a selection of new and seasoned oak barriques and larger format 1500L oak casks for a year, followed by a racking into seasoned barriques for a further ten months.

Deeply coloured, dark purple red. Lots of bright fruit, complex, a tighter, more savoury wine, earthy aromas and cedar are punctuated by raspberry notes. The palate is structured and linear, offering good weight of fruit, ripe red berry flavours and tobacco characters. A Yarra Valley of richness and length, firm tannins but very much in balance.

A feast of fruit in rich Medoc styling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot for measure, treated to a fortnight of ferments and several weeks of maceration for structure and complexity, followed by eighteen months in the finest, new French oak barriques. The poise and refinement of high Eden Valley fruit is at the core of this opulent accord, black currants and fleshy black plum, varietal capsicum and herbaceousness over the warmth of delicately perfumed cedar oak. A medley of persistence, seamlessness and statuesque grace.

$3799each $455DOZEN EACH DOZEN

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Parker Estate was built from the ground up in the right way, with the intention of producing precisely this style of wine. Established in 1985 by an old hand within the industry, quality winemaking was the only priority and commercial constraints played no part in the development. A mostly Cabernet wine with small portions of Merlot and Petit Verdot, grown to an exceptional site, ranking as one of South Australia's finest. The fruit is characterised by very dark colours, super ripe flavours, excellent complexity with good alcohol, density and structure.

$3399each $407DOZEN EACH DOZEN Vinified from fruit picked off fully mature vines which produce a limited yield of 1½ tonnes/ acre, planted to the Parker Estate's Terra rossa over limestone Coonawarra property. Integral to the style and quality of the finished wine are unique soils and mesoclimes, so favourable to the noble cepage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Following a warm fermentation, a little over half the grapes are treated to a long maceration of thirty days, the balance receive a shorter ten day maceration. Parcels are matured in a combination of new and prior use 228 litre French oak barriques for twenty two months. The final wine is assembled and returned to oak before an egg white fining and bottling.

Deep red tint. Intense deep dark fruit with some dark chocolate, prunes and charry vanillan and coffee oak aromas. The palate is rich and dense with a solid core of dark fruit running along the entire length. Impressively dense and solid structure, but also showing some faint leafy Cabernet notes typical of southern Coonawarra vineyards. To be decanted before service and savoured alongside the finest meats.

$2299each $275DOZEN EACH DOZEN

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