Passing Clouds Bendigo Shiraz 2019 750mL

The fruit is 100% de-stemmed and hand sorted before being traditionally vinified in open stainless-steel fermenters, which are hand plunged twice a day. A portion of batches saw post ferment maceration. All batches are matured in 100% French oak for 11 months – with only 10% new oak.

The wine was given a light egg white fining and a coarse filtration prior to bottling.

Colour: Deep purple colouring.

Aroma: Vivacious red fruit characters, strawberry to plum, peppery and the quintessential chocolate.

Palate: Blue fruits open into fine grained tannins, and a fresh acid line. Maraschino cherry juxtaposes complexing earthiness which lingers into a potent lengthy finish.

Notes: The Axedale vineyard (540mm, 124m), planted in 1998 sits on the banks of the Campaspe is situated between the townships of Bendigo and Heathcote. The Serpentine Vineyard (350mm, 124m) established in 1999, lies next to the Loddon River 42 km north west of the township of Bendigo. Cane pruning and bunch thinning help to deliver high quality. Both Vineyards sit on sandy clay loam soils, are predominately planted to the Shiraz clone PT23 and use irrigation minimally as a control method. The low rainfall and warm growing season in both vineyards allow for minimal canopy intervention and compatible ripening. Zonnebeeke lies 5 km from the original Kingower Vineyard a slightly cooler part of the Bendigo region. The Shiraz (clone unknown) vines sit on granitic sands in a shallow valley. The 2019 vintage was warm vintage. However the added freshness of Zonnebeeke and a reduction in the use of PFM makes this a unique vintage.