25% whole bunch with the remainder gently de-stemmed to maintain a high percentage of whole berries. Cap is wet once a day with a small amount of wine and hand plunged once a day during the peak of the ferment. Fermented using wild yeasts in an open top concrete tulipe fermenter for 27 days. Aged in French barrels for 16 months, 27% new oak, then blended and bottled after 6 weeks of settling in tank. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Sealed in Diam 10 cork.

Low spring rainfall and warm days defined the early season, with strong winds mid-season presenting some canopy management challenges. Fruit set was good and disease pressure remained very low. An unusually early shift to autumnal conditions slowed ripening, delivering an extended, gentle maturation and harvest timing right on the long-term average.

An expressive example of Snake’s Tongue with complex florals with five spice, spiced plums, wet river stones, cloves and wild thyme. The palate has fine grained chalky tannins, concentrated flavours of baked cherries, iodine, spiced plums, thyme and game meats. Lovely minerality, chewy structure and a savoury saline finish make this a wine that is truly intriguing. Drink 2026-2036.