Night Harvest `Reserve` Alicante Bouschet 2012 (6 x 750mL), WA.

Owing to the easily extracted colour of Alicante Bouschet our winemakers adopt the gentle winemaking techniques used in our Shiraz production to allow the wine to show purity of varietal fruit characters.

Like our Shiraz grapes, the Alicante Bouchet grapes were destemmed and fermented. The grape must was inoculated with yeast and ferment was kept between 20 - 23° C. Cooler than usual fermentation temperatures were adopted to retain spicy and primary fruit aromatics. A twice a day pumpover regime was undertaken to wet the cap and regulate fermentation temperature with care taken not to over extarct tannin.

The wine was allowed to ferment to dryness at which time the must was gently pressed. The wine was inoculated with malolactic bacteria and transferred to barrel. Post malolactic fermentation, the wine was taken off its sediment and returned to barrel for a maturation period of 18 months. A selection of fine grained Allier French oak barriques were used to allow the wine to grow in depth and structure during its maturation phase. The oak cradles the wine adding sweetness, richness and vanilla whilst preserving primary fruit aromatics and flavour.