(Rigorous vineyard selection prior to picking was required as a result of vintage conditions and at the cellar 20% of the juice was drawn off). Grapes were hand-picked at an average of 24° Balling. The rollers were set to half berry size and bunches were totally de-stemmed leaving 30% whole berries. The juice was cold soaked overnight. Two Rhone-sourced yeasts were inoculated and fermentation took place at 24 to 26 degrees Celsius. Maceration post fermentation varied between ten and sixteen days depending on the daily tasting of the tanks and was followed by fractional pressing. The blend for this wine was finalised in June ’03. Some 80% underwent malo. in barrel. The oak component was made up of 100% French of which 60% was new and 40% 2 nd fill.