Mike and his wife, Colleen, purchased land in the Wrattonbully district in 2000 and went about planting the vineyard to cabernet, shiraz, malbec and merlot. The estate is located in the Joanna section in the Wrattonbully wine region, the northern neighbour of Coonawarra. 

Almost fifteen years ago, vignerons Colleen and Mike spent four months in Argentina to taste and learn everything they could about growing and making Argentine Malbec. Later, when Argentine clones of Malbec became available in Australia they seized the opportunity to plant an experimental parcel of four clones on their site in 2008, seeing synergies between their cool climate site and some of the high altitude estates around Mendoza.

Argentine clones can produce smaller berries, creating wine that is more intense in colour and flavours. On their sites, the soils and climate coax these newer clones to create Malbec that is inky, with intense fruitiness and aromatic qualities, and the excellent natural acidity and fine tannins.

Tasting Notes

"A blend of 90/10% malbec/cabernet sauvignon, matured in Hungarian and French oak. There's a crispness to this red, but it still delivers even-tempered flavour and a decent amount of it. Boysenberry and redcurrant flavours come tipped with spearmint, with both tobacco and cedar characters wafting through the finish. It's not a heavy red, but it's a satisfying one." 92 Points - Halliday Wine Companion, Campbell Mattinson (2023).