Voyager Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River 2017

Winemaking: Hand harvested between 25 March and 4 April 2014. Bunches were de-stemmed to retain as many whole berries as possible after which the parcels were fermented separately in open and upright fermenters with regular, gentle pump overs and plunging. Fermentation temperatures were kept below 25 degrees Celsius and lasted 14 days. Following primary fermentation select parcels were left on skins for up to 21 days before being pressed. The wines from each parcel remained separate during 20 months of maturation in tight-grain French oak of which 50% was new. The wines were racked every three months to aid clarification. Following the maturation period the batches were then blended, fined and filtered prior to being bottled in January 2016.

Tasting Note: Medium dark red colour. Complex bouquet of dark berry fruits with hints of violets, cocoa and cedar. The palate is a core of vibrant sweet black and red berry fruit with earthy gravelly nuances contributing a nice savoury element to the wine. Hints of cedar and chocolate add further complexity and texture with great length and balance, supported by fine-grained tannins and seamlessly integrated French oak.