Attollo Organic Cabernet Franc Merlot is made from select parcels of organic fruit available in the Margaret River region. The fruit is hand tended throughout the growing season following solely organic practices. The wine is made utilising a “hands-off” approach, with a focus on limited additions and gravity flow operations. The vinification utilised New and Old World influences in creation of a wine with structure and depth that will provide ageability for the medium to long-term, depending on your cellaring conditions.

2011 was again a warm to hot year in Margaret River, which is becoming the norm here in Margaret River. It had a warm start and consistent warm conditions throughout the growing season with limited rain events until the last week of April. It was a text book year with a perfect ripening period producing wines with lovely generosity and a reactivity [stickiness] to the tannins that will afford good medium to long-term cellaring. Evening ripening afforded wines with luscious ripe fruit flavours and fine velvety tannins.

The Cabernet Franc Merlot for this wine was sourced from the Walciffe sub-region of the Margaret River Apellation. 2011 Caves Road Walcliffe Subregion Cabernet Franc and Merlot were grown using a VSP trellis on gravel loams over clay.

0.9t Organic Caves Road Walcliffe Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were hand harvested in April 2011, and destemmed to a combination of 225L barrique fermenters for a two day cold soak. The wine was allowed to ferment naturally, taking three to five days to initiate. Each individual ferment was plunged by hand gently during ferment lasting for 8 to 12 days and peaking at 28 to 30oC. Towards the end of fermentation the barrel fermenters were set on racks and left on skins for a period of 4 weeks [extended maceration] to build palate weight and provide a tannic backbone affording longevity to the wine. The barrels were then gently basket pressed directly back to barrel for malolactic fermentation. Five individual 225L barriques plus resulted from this vinification process, one of which was a Sylvain Special Reserve New French oak barrel. The wines were sulphured at the end of malolactic fermentation and racked by gravity off heavy lees after the lees has compacted. The wines were racked by gravity again 4 months later and matured in oak for a total of 18 months. In October 2012, the individual barrels were then carefully blended by gravity transfer to a stainless steel tank and then transferred to stainless steel drums to clarify and stabilise. The wine was then bottled in Febuary 2013 under screw cap without fining or filtration.

It must be noted- as the wine is Organic Certified – annual audits were required at some cost- which adds to the price tag of this wine- however this guarantees it’s organic status.

pH 3.9

Titrateable Acidity [TA] 5g/L

Residual Sugar [RS] 0.1g/L

Volatile Acidity [VA] 0.5g/l

Alcohol 13.9%

Cases Bottled  February 2013

1120L

240 6 pack screw cap

Cellaring Best

Best 2014-7, Maximum 2021

Taste [30/09/13]

The wine has a deep red centre with a pink red hue. The nose is filled with red and black fruits, olive, licorice, and candied plum characters, with hints of earth, dried herbs and spicey cedar in the background. The palate is deliberately moderate with restraint and elegance. The wine currently has a supple and flavorsome full palate, with lovely fine dry tannins, affording a dry finish. The aim is to make something Intensely Subtle.