Description

At Heathcote II we do not pick the grapes until they are completely ripe meaning when the flavours and colours are fully developed and not only based on sugar level. We also wait for the seeds in the grapes to turn brown giving us softer tannins in the finished wine. The harvest is usually spread over 3 weeks with only a few rows picked at one time; again ensuring each row is at its optimal ripeness.

Peder is the French trained winemaker and responsible for making the wine. He uses traditional yet modern winemaking techniques taken from his experiences in Europe and the US. The fermentation goes on for 10 to 14 days in small open vats. In order to maximize deep colour and flavour extraction, the fermenting juice is hand-plunged twice a day. This very effective technique was initially developed in Burgundy many years ago and is still considered the most gentle way to extract the essence of the grapes. All the wines are dry and they are aged in the finest French oak

Additional information