Papillon

2022 Tasting Notes

Varietal/s: Grenache, Cinsault
GI: Barossa Valley
Alcohol: 12%
pH: 3.47
TA: 6.2 g/L
Residual Sugar: 0.49 g/L

Vinification:

The Cinsault is grown in two Barossa Valley vineyards. One in Bethany, a grafted block around 40 years of age growing in gravely sand over red clay.   The second, and the dominant source, grows in the friable deep red clays of Ebenezer.   Grenache is grown in the deep sands of Vine Vale.   All vineyards are unirrigated, hand pruned and picked.  Fruit is chilled overnight prior to being placed in stainless steel and concrete fermenters as whole berries.    Fermentations are pressed off between 5 and 8 days after harvest and the young wines are matured on light lees in a mix of stainless-steel tanks and large format oak foudres.   Both alcoholic and malo-lactic fermentation occur spontaneously.   Wines are only lightly sulphured just prior to blending and are bottled unfined, lightly filtered and are vegan friendly.

Growing Season:

The 2022 growing season was mild and long with no protracted heat spikes or heavy rain events- it certainly felt cooler than what we perceive as ‘historically average’ and the numbers backed that up. Reasonable winter and spring rains delivered good subsoil moisture levels and frost and hail events that marked the last few seasons were absent.

Signatures of the ’22 vintage in the Barossa and Eden Valley’s are its aromatic freshness, purity and clarity of fruit, typically modest palate weights, fresh and lithe tannin structures -all in all a  delightful year – and particularly suited to medium and lighter bodied aromatic reds, such as Papillon.

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2021 Tasting Notes

Varietal/s: Grenache, Cinsault
GI: Barossa Valley
Alcohol: 13.5%
pH: 3.56
TA: 5.1 g/L
Residual Sugar: 0.49 g/L

Vinification:

A blend of Grenache (86%) and Cinsault (14%). The Cinsault was destemmed and fermented as whole berries, whereas the Grenache was fermented with 50% whole clusters, the balance destemmed. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured on lees for 4 months in a mixture of concrete, stainless steel and large old oak prior to blending and bottling.

Growing Season:

The 2021 growing season and vintage conditions were close to historical averages. Solid winter and spring rains were a great start to the season but uneven weather through spring negatively affected flowering, most particularly in Grenache. The weather approaching and during the harvest was generally mild, dry, and without tribulation.   Fruit was harvested in good condition, yields were variable but generally close to average, with wines showing lovely balance, flavour depth and freshness.

Tasting Notes:

Aromatic, herb infused red berry fruits, tart raspberry and red currant notes overlain by delicate rosemary, pepper corn and French tarragon notes. Fresh, mid weight palate of tart red plum, raspberry and currant fruits peppered with dried provincial herbs. Crunchy, fresh finish.

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2018 Tasting Notes

2018 – The Season

Below average winter rains, followed by well timed but sparse spring and early summer falls, coupled with mild temperatures set up the Barossa for a nearly quantitatively modest harvest of clean and fresh fruit. Red wines show deep fleshy fruit, supple, ripe acids, and pleasing palate weight.

2018 Papillon Rose 13.0% abv

Produced from very old Barossa Valley Grenache (78%),and Cinsault (22%).

The source vineyards range in age from 40 to 120 years old, (averaging 90 years if you had to find a fair number) growing in sands, loam over clay and deep red clay soils.

All bush vines, all hand-picked, dry grown – old school. Whilst proportions varied depending on the particular fruit parcel, around 40% of the whole clusters were retained within the fermentations, the balance destemmed.

Fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured on lees for 5 months in a mixture of concrete,stainless steel and large old oak prior to blending and bottling.