2009
Vintage
The 2009 vintage in Mudgee was excellent. The season started out with heavy spring rains which got the vines off to a good start. The early part of the summer was mild and ideal for vine growth. The heat wave conditions which were experienced during January were interspersed with cooler winds from the coast which moderated the effects of the heat and the vines got through this period in a relatively good state. Most importantly the period between veraison (fruit colouring) and maturity was fine and mild allowing the development of intense flavours.
Winemaking
The 2009 Prince Hill zinfandel is a blend of premium parcels from best performing sections of our Mudgee vineyard. The grapes were machine harvested during the mild April to ensure rapid onset of fermentation in the winery, and pumped over 6 times daily to get maximum extraction of the ripe zinfanel tannins from the grapes to the wine. The wine was matured with French and American oak for 14 months prior to bottling.
Colour
Dark red in colour.
Bouquet
An intense, spicy prune fruit aroma with vanilla overtones.
Palate
Rich full fruit characters on the palate with a soft clean finish.
Suggested Food
Team this wine with a hearty beef bourguigon.
Cellaring
This wine will continue to develop and reward with cellaring in the medium term.
Awards
3 Stars: Winestate Magazine May/June 2010 Issue
