Yin and Yang? It's a case of Nature VS Nurture - We often see these blends - BUT - this one stopped me and shouted Yes...Offer me!
A dark and secretive wine that blends the power of Cabernet with the voluptuousness of Merlot providing a rich, deeply satisfying temptress of the gold and beautiful. The Mill Cabernet Merlot is an excellent example of the harmony these varieties can achieve when blended. The aromas are of violets and spice combine fruity with flavours of blackberry, earth and vanillin oak. A few extra years to gather some dust will definitely do these elements a favour in allowing them to further develop but at this price you have the perfect drink for every night of the week.Sustainable growing practices are really more about allowing nature to run it's course rather than attempting to control it. Minimal intervention and sustainability are highly valued at Windowrie. We were lucky enough to get a bit a nice stash of this, but there wont be any more. So get in while you can because there isn't any more where this came from!
THE WINERY:
The gently undulating slopes of the Windowrie vineyard allow for excellent air drainage. To maximise light interception, vine rows are planted north to south and various types of canopy management are used including Scott Henry and Smart Dyson. These systems also aid in the control of vigour and ensure the fruit flavour characteristics of the Windowrie wines.
Supplementary irrigation is supplied via a drip system from an underground aquifer. Various methods of irrigation are employed such as Restricted Deficit Irrigation and Partial Root Zone Drying.
Windowrie Estate practises minimal intervention - no insecticides are used - and this ensures that natural predators flourish. Windowrie also manage an accredited organic vineyard and offer advice and management to vineyards in the region.
Grape varieties are planted according to which soil type irrigation method and canopy management are required for maximum quality and varietal fruit flavour. Windowrie Estate believes that the combination of the natural soil, climate, topography and water and careful management practices allow the growth of clean, fresh, full flavoured grapes.
Windowrie are dedicated to experimentation in the vineyard. This included the planting of several noncore varietals in order to learn which varieties are best suited to the relatively young region. Windowrie has the following varieties planted on the vineyard: Chardonnay, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese.
While the region has put its name on the map through its excellent Chardonnay it is the red varietals and Verdelho that Windowrie are most excited about in the future.
Jason O'Dea explains "Our first plantings of Cabernet, Shiraz and Merlot are now nearly twenty years old and we are definitely seeing the quality of the fruit improve as the vines age. The yields are of course low however the quality is going ahead in leaps and bounds."
