The aroma is of blackberry and cassis with no leafiness and an earthy, Moroccan leather bouquet typical of the Whalebone terroir. The flavours are rich and strong with an underlying fresh varietal complexity including the spiciness of Cabernet and the fresh leather and anise of Shiraz. The tannins are at once grainy and substantial providing a savoury and long finish. This is an excellent example of Australias own red blend and a pure expression of these unique terroirs.

STELLA BELLA WINES Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

Grape variety - 100% Shiraz. Oak maturation - 40% new and 60% older French. notes. Colour - Deep red with purple hue. Aroma - Concentrated with bacon fat, pepper, lifted florals and incense. There’s an underlying meaty-gravy complexity with balanced oak, mulberry and plum. Palate - Full with a dense texture and fine grain tannins. The palate is loaded with pepper, beef gravy, potpourri, black raspberry, mulberry and plum. A complex, savoury and elegant wine that’s more Syrah than Shiraz Food matches - Seared prime beef and roasted root vegetables or Fillet of venison with wild mushrooms. Peak drinking - Drinking well now but will show further integration over the next 8 - 10 years. Viticulture - The Home Block Shiraz vineyard comprises 0.7 ha of open lyre, minimal irrigated vines planted on ironstone gravel over deep friable loam. Judicious shoot and bunch thinning is always used to maintain a very light crop which was hand picked in early March of 2021. Harvested at 12.5º Baume the fruit exhibited intensely concentrated flavour and colour. Winemaking - The hand picked fruit was harvested early in the morning and processed straight away. 5% whole bunches, including stalks were placed into the bottom of the fermenter before filling. The remaining fruit was de stemmed into the small open fermenter with heading down board, which keeps the cap fully submerged between drain and returns. After nine days of fermentation, the fruit was pressed into a blend of new and used French Burgundian barrels. Storage and Bottling - Maturation lasted 11 months before the wine was carefully blended and bottled. Bottled under screw cap to retain freshness in a premium Burgundy bottle. Held in bottle for approximately 1 year prior to release.