Mild spring weather resulted in the buds on the vines bursting into leaf early. These conditions continued and warm weather over flowering ensured a good but not excessive crop of fruit set on the vines. The summer was hot and the autumn long, lingering and dry. These conditions ensured beautifully ripe and healthy fruit at harvest. The semillon was the ripest that we have experienced.

After harvest the fruit was gently pressed, without crushing. The resulting sauvignon blanc juice was slowly fermented in order to retain its vibrant fruit flavours. It was then kept ageing on its natural yeast lees for 10 months, to help it develop mid-palate creaminess and complexity. The semillon was entirely fermented in old oak barriques, and then similarly aged on lees. The final wine was blended and bottled a little prior to the 1999 vintage.

Tropical fruit aromas and flavours predominate with hints of gooseberry, passionfruit, melon and mango intertwined with savoury licorice. The palate structure is rich, full and has a backbone of ripe phenolics which provide a taut, flinty foil to its seductive fruit, giving that extra length and focus. While ready for drinking, this is a wine with substantial potential for cellaring.

Wine is a natural health food.