Firebird Nero d'Avola 2023

Blend Nero d’Avola (100%), GUNDAGAI Season The 2022/2023 growing season commenced with good spring rains, giving way to a temperate summer. Mild, cool conditions through to harvest yielded beautifully clean fruit and ripe tannins. Viticulture The late-ripening Sicilian native Nero D’Avola is grown on an elevated section of the Tumblong Hills vineyard at Gundagai. The soils are a deep, ferrous loam. Winemaking Hand-harvested grapes are destemmed and open-fermented. The ferment peaks at a relatively cool 28 degC, and is worked with gentle remontage and délestage, with an eye to preserving freshness and drinkability. The pressed wine is matured for 8 months in seasoned Allier and Tronçais oak, before blending and bottling. Taste Ripe blackberry and dark cherry aromas yield to juicy black plum and a twist of licorice on the palate, with savoury tannin to close.