Tête de Cuvée Smith's Vineyard Cabernets

A. Rodda Tête de Cuvée Smith's Vineyard Cabernets draws from the winery's Smith's Vineyard in Beechworth, with fruit selected from their top 10 rows of Cabernet and low yielding Merlot block.

The phrase Tête de Cuvée is traditionally used to refer to wine of the highest quality. A. Rodda only releases wine from the best growing seasons under this label.

Handpicked fruit is destemmed and crushed prior to fermentation. Pump overs, plunging, and rack and returns extract colour and flavour. Post ferment, the Cabernet remains on skins for several weeks before pressing.

The wine matures in French oak, half first use and half second use. After 12 months the wine is racked to old, thick staved oak casks to age for a further eight months.

The final blend is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and a tiny percentage of Petit Verdot.

Rich red purple, A. Rodda Tête de Cuvée Smith's Vineyard Cabernets has dark berry flavours framed by fine tannins and a long, focused finish. Cellaring potential is 10 years.