occurs naturally as well. The wine is kept on lees to build texture and complexity, but battonage is irregular. Sulphuring is kept to a minimum but ensures stability and freshness during the maturation period of around 10 months. Will Berliner aims to preserve the fruit purity in the wines , and matches his techniques to suit the character of the vintage. New oak can be as little as around 35% or as high as 100%. But it never seems to dominate the fruit in any given year. The style is generous and complex , with creamy freshness, fine al dente textures and bell-clear acidity with the character of the Gingin clone writ large. The cabernet sauvignon is batch vinified, using familiar Australian retro-modern techniques. The fruit is destemmed and hand sorted before being gently transferred into small open fermenters. Within a short period, spontaneous fermentation takes place. Some partial whole-bunch fermentation also occurs, bringing another layer of fruit complexity. Regular hand plunging is typical, starting at roughly three times during a 24-hour cycle and then reducing as the alcoholic fermentation comes to an end. The wine at dryness is then pressed and racked into 100% new oak where malo-lactic fermentation follows in the Spring. Will Berliner likes his Cabernet to stay in oak for around 20–22 months to allow the elements to integrate and the wine to develop volume and complexity. The barrels are all stored in cool conditions and remain untouched, except to monitor progress, throughout the maturation period.
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The Vintage Journal – Great Estate Series
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