Onyx Durif

Eldorado Road Onyx Durif is sourced from the estate vineyard near Beechworth, planted with cuttings of Durif taken from Stanton & Killeen in Rutherglen.

Durif is known as a powerhouse variety. Yet Eldorado Road's cooler climate allows them to produce fruit with an intense perfume and restraint rarely associated with the variety.

The fruit is destemmed but not crushed. A portion of free run juice is run off to concentrate the remaining mix of skins and juice, which is then split into two parcels.

Both parcels are cold soaked and inoculated with cultured yeast. The ferments are kept cool and are gently hand plunged only once daily to limit extraction. Post ferment the wine remains on skins for up to three weeks.

The wine is basket pressed to a combination of new and seasoned French oak puncheons for maturation on full lees. After 18 months it is gently filtered then bottled.

Almost jet black, Eldorado Road Onyx Durif is full bodied with opulent fruit flavours, strong tannins and a long, earthy finish. Cellaring potential is 10 years.