Windows Estate- Petit Lot Violet Blend 2021

Vintage: 2021
Varietal: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot
Appellation: Margaret River GI
Sulphur (SO2): Free- 22ppm, Total- 71ppm
Sugar: Dry
Acid: 6.5 g/L
pH: 3.46
Production Size: 1,350 bottles
Altitude: 109m - 357.3ft
Vineyard Age: 20 Years
Residual Sugar: 0.04 g/L
Tannin: Elevated
Alcohol %: 13.5

The dry farmed vines were planted in 1999 on a small ridge with the soil comprising of gravelly loam adjacent to our oldest Cabernet vines.

Soil Type(s): Ancient laterite, clay and granite soils

The fruit was handpicked on different dates from some of the Davies' oldest vines. The grapes were sorted, crushed and de-stemmed, and then inoculated for fermentation in 1000 liter open fermenters, which were regularly and manually plunged. The wine was gently pressed off using our traditional hand-operated basket press, and then racked to French barriques for 15 months of maturation prior to bottling.

2021 in Margaret River recorded slightly cooler than average temperatures in the beginning months, certainly in contrast to the previous year. This led to a later harvest, which, similarly to 2017 and 2019, didn’t commence until early March and continued for many until late April. Chris had also spent many hours in the vineyard focusing on canopy management, ensuring good airflow and consistent sun exposure among the vines. This meant we had a healthy vineyard with no disease pressure and grapes in perfect balance. Fortunately for us, because of Chris’ hard work in the vineyard, and lower than average crops our whites had all been handpicked prior to the heavy rain which the region experienced. As a result, the rain energised the soil for the red varieties that ripened slowly in moderate temperatures over the following month/s. 2021 is a year where it will become apparent as to the work that was put into the vineyard, Chris has never spent so much time in the vineyard throughout harvest as he did this year, it was however necessary to ensure that only pristine quality fruit was handpicked. The whites showing a fresh acidity, pronounced aromatics and good fruit intensity, and reds having a full rounded flavour, due to the fact they were able to wallow in the extended warm weather before picking.

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