Harvest started on the 26th March at The Fusilier, Bannockburn and
finished on the 17th April at The First Paddock, Gibbston. Two
Paddocks’ Viticulturist, Mike Wing, celebrated his 20th vintage this
year and described this significant season as “A game of two
halves”.
The first half was characterised by the coldest Spring in five years
and hence there was a lot of frost fighting with overhead water,
which in turn stimulated weed growth. The finale was a hail event in
Alexandra in January that affected some of the vineyards and so the
early part of the growing season is aptly described as challenging.
February and March then delivered warm settled weather and
ripening progressed well. There was no Autumnal frost fighting and
overall the 2024 crop was clean, ripe and at optimum quantity
levels.
Destemmed and steeped on skins for 3-4 days for aromatics and
colour extraction before being lightly pressed in to a stainless steel
vessel for 55% of the ferment - and older French barriques for the
remaining 45%.
An indigenous yeast fermentation took approximately 6-8 weeks at
16-22 degrees Celsius. The wine then rested on fine lees for 3
months before being combined together. There was no malolactic
fermentation undertaken. Finally, the wine was filtered just prior to
bottling for clarity, brightness and balance. The sub-regional
vineyard composition is 50% The Fusilier Bannockburn and 50% The
Last Chance Alexandra.