Helen’s Hill Cabernets

Winemaking

We would call it a Bordeaux blend but the French won't let us!! (the English would know it as a Claret.) Our Cabernets blend combines all 5 of the traditional Bordeaux varieties to produce a classic cool climate Cabernets. The blend is approximately 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 12% Cab Franc, 7% Malbec and 1% Petite Verdou.

 

All fruit is grown on our single vineyard site and hand picked at harvest to ensure that all fruit is picked at optimal ripeness. The fruit is de-stemmed and crushed into our open top fermenters to undergo primary fermentation. (approximately 6-8 days) The juice then spends up to 6 weeks in the fermenters going through post ferment maceration to extract maximum color and tannins from skins.

 

After fermentation is complete, the skins are pressed off and the juice settled in tank for 48 hours. The juice is then “racked” off to French Oak barrels (50% New, 50% old) for full malolactic fermentation which takes approximately 4 months. After malo fermentation is complete the wine is “racked” to tank, the barrels are cleaned and the wine is returned to the same barrels for final barrel maturation (18 months).

 

Wine is aged in barrel and bottle for a total period of 4 years before release.

 

Appearance: Deep Ruby Red 
Aroma: Dark berry fruits and spicy cloves
Flavour: Blackberries, dark plums, chocolate and cloves
Texture: Smooth tannins and a rick palate weight
Oak: Aged 18  months in French Oak
Location: Coldstream, Yarra Valley, Australia. 37 degrees South, 145 degrees East
Soils: Sandy clay
Trellis style: Vertical shoot positioning (VSP)
Clones: SA 125, D3V14, 1334 Bordeaux, Kalimna, G7V1
Plantings: 7 Hectares