MAESTRO is the selection of our best barrels and is only made in the best vintages. This has been the only MAESTRO bottled since the 1996.

The summers of 1998 and 1995 were the two warmest of the decade. Mid summer heat is important for the development of ripe tannins and flavours, both of which are in abundance in this wine. Wine making was carried out in the traditional Bordelaise manner, where during the fermentation wine is splashed into a tub and then pumped over the cap of skins twice daily to gently extract the tannin and colour. Some vats were left macerating on skins for an extended period in order to gain smoother, more savoury tannins. The resulting wine was put into French oak barriques to mature for 2 years. Indigenous bacteria conducted a natural malolactic fermentation during the warm weather in the following spring. Clarification was achieved by settling, prior to bottling and the wine is unfiltered.

The 1998 MAESTRO has been aged for 15 months in bottle prior to release. The wine is based on a traditional Bordeaux blend of red varietals. Merlot (50%) provides fruitiness and mid-palate richness, while Cabernet Sauvignon (45%) adds spicy cassis characters and a firm backbone of tannin to ensure longevity. Lifted ethereal aromas are derived from the cabernet franc (5%). All these varieties were fermented and aged separately, before being carefully blended prior to bottling.

While the wine is ready to drink it will improve with cellaring and should peak in 5-8 years. It is anticipated it will cellar for 10-20 years.

Wine is a natural health food.