2018 Wallcliffe Petit Verdot Cabernet Franc
“The 2018 Wallcliffe reveals the tremendous personality of petit verdot, balanced by the purity of cabernet franc.” Coralie Lewis - Senior Winemaker
The Wallcliffe red wines are a limited edition bottling that celebrate the highlights of the vintage, the finest parcels of fruit and the best barrel selection. Explore our diverse and surprising Margaret River terroir with the best varietal blend each season.
Nose
A powerful nose of cassis, red cherry and red plum surrounded by sweet spices, mocha and liquorice.
Palate
The attack is generous with punchy dark fruits, black pepper, paprika and cigar, grounded with savoury notes of cured meat and forest floor. The sensation of dense tannic structure is immediate and will develop beautifully with time. Great length.
Blend
66% Petit Verdot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 1% Shiraz.
Cellaring
Ready for enjoyment on release, this wine can also be cellared for 20 years and beyond.
Food Pairing Notes
Venison, beef brisket, vegetarian tagine, a platter of hard cheeses.
The Vineyard
The fruit comes from the Wallcliffe, Trinders and Crossroads vineyards, planted in 1970, 1988 and 2003 respectively. The typical soils of these vineyards are geologically ancient, free-draining sandy loams with a high percentage of lateritic gravel. Meticulous hand work on the canopy ensured perfect exposure for the fruit, which in 2018 allowed ultra-fine tannin development, at modest ripeness levels with beautiful balanced acids. Heavy winter rains recharged soil moisture levels and led into a calm, settled period for fruit set to give moderate crop levels. The season was warm in November progressing growth but developed into a milder ripening period from January through March allowing enhanced flavour and physiological (tannin) development. The abundance of Marri tree blossom kept the birds occupied, allowing the grapes to ripen in perfect health and fully balanced maturity.
Winemaking
The fruit is 100% destemmed and lightly crushed into closed top fermenters. The ferments proceed with wild and selected yeasts and operations are decided day by day without recipe to optimize potential and complexity. Post fermentation macerations are long - up to 44 days - to develop silky tannin structures before light basket pressing. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French oak barriques (50% new), the wine is aged on lees (yeast sediment) for 16 months and then blended and bottled.
Analysis
14.7% alcohol
Ray Jordan Wine
It’s an interesting combination and it works so beautifully. The ripe dark fruit of the intense petit verdot is complemented by the high-end perfumed aromatics of the cab franc. Has those violet and blue fruit characters with just a little ferrous edginess for balance. Dry chalky tannins and a decent lick of oak compete a terrific wine.
