Vetus Purum Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Colour:
Deep garnet red

Bouquet:
The nose is intense and multi-faceted. Notes of blackcurrant and cedar are interwoven into a sophisticated expression that constantly intrigues.

Palate:
Harmony and balance are immediately apparent in this elegant, medium to full-bodied wine. The palate is assertive yet refined, with concentrated flavours of blackcurrant, berry and olive supported by subtle cedar spice from the oak. This is a premium Cabernet Sauvignon reflecting the unique terroir and pristine environment of the Coonawarra.

Cellaring Potential:
Already beautifully integrated, this wine could continue to develop for more than 20 years if cellared under ideal conditions.

Release Date:
April 2014

Serving suggestion:
Roasted cannon of lamb with an olive and herb crust, served with jus

Bottled:
19 June 2012

Region:
Coonawarra, South Australia

Vintage Conditions:
2010 was an outstanding vintage for Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, with the wines expressing the purity of this remote region through their excellent tannin structure and exceptional fruit definition and concentration. Spring was generally cool, before a surge of November heat accelerated the growing season. A late “Indian summer” combined with cooling breezes from the Southern Ocean ensured steady ripening while occasional light rain kept the vines healthy. Vintage started early, with the Cabernet Sauvignon for Vetus Purum picked on the 18th and 19th of March, well ahead of the soaking April rains.
Winemaking: Chief Winemaker Sam Kurtz made it his mission to ensure he had the right fruit for this landmark wine. For over a decade he has worked closely with the Flint family to nurture select rows of their very best vines. The free-draining red-grey soils in this particular northern Coonawarra vineyard produce small but intensely flavoured berries at low yields of around five tonnes per acre. The grapes for this inaugural release were hand-selected, vinified as a single parcel and fermented on skins for 19 days before being pressed. The wine then underwent complete malo-lactic fermentation in barrel and, after racking, was returned to the same barrels for extended maturation. Spending a long 24 months in oak, the barrel selection for Vetus Purum was conducted with the highest rigour. The winemaker visited the oak forests and numerous acclaimed cooperages in France to ensure the best oak barrels were chosen for these wines. As is traditional for St Hugo, a mix of French and American oak as well as new and old barrels was used, comprising 63% new and 21% old French oak, and 16% new American (16%) to add further depth and complexity.

Finally, every barrel was tasted by Sam Kurtz and only the best of the barrels were selected for the final Vetus Purum wine, which was bottled in June 2012. After a further two years resting in bottle, this exceptional wine was released for its debut in mid-2014.

Analysis:
Alcohol: 13.2% alc
Total Acid: 6.9g/L
pH: 3.55