Domaine Chandon Shiraz 2012 (6 x 750mL), Heathcote, VIC.

Victoria’s Heathcote region is blessed with rich, red Cambrian soils renowned for producing shiraz grapes with remarkable concentration of flavour. The resulting wines are intense and vibrant.

Individual parcels were destemmed, crushed, chilled and cold-soaked for three days prior to fermentation to gently extract colour and flavour from the skins. During fermentation, various techniques were used including regular pumpovers and cap plunging to build the body of the wine. At the conclusion of the primary fermentation individual batches were pressed and settled in stainless steel tanks before running to oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place. French barriques comprised the majority of the oak used; approximately 15 per cent were new oak barrels with the remainder one and two years old. After approximately 18 months in oak the individual vineyard parcels were assessed, blended and filtered before bottling.