Tasting Profile
November 2022
This single-block wine is sourced from 0.79 ha of gently sloping 24-year-old vines. These vines naturally produce low yields due to a combination of unique orientation, free drainage, and high exposure. Together with this, the soil has a far greater prevalence of ironstone pebbles than any other part of the vineyard and delivers wine with great concentration and savoury tannic presence. This wine was fermented in a large-format wooden vat. The ferment, with a portion of whole bunches, occurred spontaneously with ambient yeasts and lasted 17 days. Following fermentation, the wine was pressed and racked into French oak barriques (20% of which were new) and underwent indigenous malolactic fermentation. The wine was racked only once, with a total maturation period of 14 months. It was then bottled without fining or filtration.
Bright and energetic, with aromas of red florals, orange peel, and blue fruits combined with dark woodsy spice and undergrowth. Chewy, sinewy tannins and smoky spice fill the mouth, together with flavours of violet and black cherry. With excellent drive and expansion, the palate is long, enveloping, and firm, yet pretty. Expressing well now, this wine will gain greater complexity with time in the cellar
13%
Tasting Profile 2021
Tasting Profile 2020
Tasting Profile 2019
Reviews
Wine Pilot, August 2023
Jeni Port
A palate that is precise, focused, richly embroidered, and balanced. A sweep of ripe, dark fruits is joined by anise, spice, a touch of earthy rhubarb, sweet musk, potpourri, and vanilla. A polished wine.
95 points
The Real Review, February 2023
Huon Hooke
Smoky, stony/ferrous, and earthy bouquet, very appealing in its individualistic way. Full-bodied, rich, dense, fleshy, ample, and long finishing.
94 points
Halliday Wine Companion, July 2023
Jane Faulkner
There’s a bit more depth and weight to Ferrous this year, making it particularly appealing now. Plenty of fleshy tannins, woody spices, chinotto, ironstone, red cherries, and pips along for the ride.
95 points
Vinous, May 2023
Angus Hughson
Earthy, almost volcanic/smoky aromas with a strong backbone of red cherry with stalky herbs and spices. It is beautifully composted with a juicy yet silky style. Lacy tannins support a very long and ethereal finish.
93 points
Wine Front, August 2023
Gary Walsh
Sweet strawberry, gently earthy, mint chocolate, plenty of spice and fragrance. Quite tight and tangy, some blood orange and amaro herbs, slightly scratchy emery tannin, a bit of sour cherry in the aftertaste, and that finish is long. A bit of ‘mineral’ too. Fine acidity. Distinctive. A lot of personality.
94+ points
The Vintage
The Vineyard
The Kooyong vineyard is located on the Mornington Peninsula at Tuerong, on Miocene sedimentary soils. Our wines are made from domain grown, handpicked grapes and aim to manifest terroir: the integration of our geology and soils with the macroclimate of our region, the mesoclimates of the various sites within our vineyard and the weather of the annual grape growing season. Our cultural operations in the vineyard and practices in the winery endeavour to articulate these unique characteristics diligently, respectfully and without artifice.