2019 Nota Bene

Oak Regime:  100% French Oak
Alcohol:  14.5%

"The 2019 Nota Bene opens with intense and ripe black cherry, strawberry and plum on the nose. On the palate, the ripeness and richness of this fruit is beautifully balanced by crunchy red currant flavours, while a subtle yet warming layer of cinnamon and clove spice weaves effortlessly into the wine. There is also a savory element to the wine showing through as dried herbs, sage, and cigar box. The tannins are elegant and velvety, and the wine finishes strongly with refreshing acidity and a fine silky texture."
Ross Wise, Winemaker

Our twenty-first vintage of Nota Bene brought a rare opportunity for us to return to the wine's origins. For just the third time since the very first vintage (1999), the blend is headlined by Merlot, rather than Cabernet Sauvignon. The moderately cool 2019 vintage produced outstanding Merlot from our Sharp Rock and Double Black vineyards, and it was impossible to ignore these barrels in the final blend. The beauty of Nota Bene is that it always represents the best of our Estate vineyards in a given year, and quality drives the final blend, rather than a recipe. 2019 was also the first vintage that natural fermentation was widely used in our winery. We allowed the wild yeasts present in the vineyard and the winery to carry out the majority of our ferments, aiming to bring more complexity to each of our wines. As we are using yeast present in our natural environment, our hope is that this makes Nota Bene an even purer expression of its terroir, and ultimately a more unique wine.