2021 John Duval 'Annexus' Mataro

VINTAGE With better winter rains, and a perfectly timed 30mm event at the start of February, we were rewarded with better crops and berry size after a few drought-affected lean years. Conditions through late February, March and April could only be described as perfect with mild to warm days with no heat spikes, combined with cool nights. This meant for a long even ripening period and a lovely pace to the vintage. 2021 will be remembered as an exceptional Barossa vintage. VINEYARD Mataro was sourced from a single dry grown centenarian vineyard in the Light Pass subdistrict of the Barossa Valley. Growing in sandy soils near the banks of the North Para River, this vineyard produces exceptionally low yields of intensely flavoured and firmly structured fruit. WINEMAKING The fruit was fermented in small open top stainless-steel fermenters with twice daily pump overs for 8 days, before maturation for 15 months in finegrained French oak (15% in one new French hogshead, the balance in seasoned hogsheads and puncheons). 250 cases made.

NOSE: Deep dark fruits, hints of rose and violet and smoky earth. PALATE: Layers of black plum, blackberry, blueberry and amaro notes supported by well-defined tannins, finishing long and clean with pleasing savouriness and slatey minerality.