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In the Vineyard
The weather in late November is critical in the vineyard, as a windy, damp spell when the vines are flowering can dramatically affect fruit set, as an unseasonably cold snap can prevent much of the potential fruit from forming. A lighter crop load is not in itself a problem (apart from the economics!) as the vine gets a chance to fully ripen less fruit, but in 2001 it was followed by a less than perfect summer.
Our final tonnage was 40% less than in 2000, nevertheless, the resulting wine provides an interesting contrast to the Pharos 2000. Although the varietal composition is the same, the 2001 is a lighter, less alcoholic fruity wine, ideal for summer drinking.
In the Winery
Each variety was fermented separately and aged in predominantly French oak for 12 months. We tend to work on a ratio of one third new barriques each year, with a further third being one year-old, and one third two year-old. Some American oak is used for the Cabernet Sauvignon to maximise the extraction of the vanilla characters. After bottling, the wine is then aged for a further year before release.
Harvest date: 11-26 March 2001
Bottling date: 23 May 2002
Composition: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec
Alcohol: 12.5%
TA: 6.1
pH: 3.4
Quantity produced: 216 dozen
TASTING NOTES
A dark crimson wine with an aroma of dried red berry fruits. The complex palate combines plums, prunes and boysenberries with spicy tobacco notes, while sweet, silky tannins give a velvety lingering finish. This wine benefits from allowing time to 'open up'; simply decanting will achieve this.
Aging potential: Totally approachable now; will continue to evolve over 3-5 years.
