The Mount Barker and Porongurup regions began the growing season with just adequate soil moisture and catchment fill. Cool and blustery spring weather in November did impact flowering, set and early growth. Summer was punctuated with hot spells, which magnified the effects of little rain. The south facing vineyard sites received some reprieve from the cooling breezes of the southern ocean. A vigorous deluge of approx. 60 mm of rain across the region in early April and cooling autumn temperatures slowed the red maturities and resulted in a late finish to vintage.
With yields below average, the wines produced from the 2013 vintage are full of concentrated fruit flavours, good acidity and fine ripe tannins.

Top notes of violets enhanced with swirling aromas of poached strawberries and warm doughy, fruit muffins.

The palate is lively mix of blue/red berry and dark cherry fruits deftly cradlelled in fine oak. In structure, the wine is fine, even feminine with a guiding mineral acidity, so typical of the region, which adds length and finish.

Peking duck.