"With the coming of twilight, the sky seemed to recede; the universe expanded. The night was bigger than the day, and in its realm, life seemed to have more possibilities" - Dean Koontz, "Midnight".
Sourced from two blocks of Shiraz on the western side of our Rayner Vineyard, where the soils are clay on limestone. Plantings date back to 1950. Fermented using 100% whole bunches and wild yeast, inspired by our time in the Northern Rhone. 90 dozen bottles made.
97 points Halliday Wine Companion (2022 vintage)
"This is the yin to the Violet Hour’s yang, coming off red/brown clay over limestone from two blocks, planted 1960 and ’90 (the Violet Hour is mainly sandy soils). Open canopies lead to ‘ripe’ stems, with 100% whole-bunch ferments employed; 15 months' seasoned French oak. Dark and brooding, though not heavy, rippling with dark fruits, dried cherry, olive, blackstrap licorice, thyme, toasted rye, coal dust, anise, clove, white pepper … a swell of dark red cherry and sour plum enlivening the palate. This may be more darkly wrought than the Violet Hour, but it’s not heavy, with a slinky suppleness of texture and assertive natural tannin. Truly exceptional." - Marcus Ellis
