Shiraz “Bull Ant” 2019 – Lake Breeze

The grapes to produce Shiraz “Bull Ant” Lake Breeze were fermented on their skins for seven days in small, open fermenters. A daily regime of three rack and returns and pumpovers, ensured the desired level of extraction. Shiraz “Bull Ant” Lake Breeze was matured in French and American oak for 16 months, with the aim of softening the wine, while retaining primary fruit characters. The wine was not fined or filtered prior to bottling. Fruit selection was paramount, only the best blocks are retained for the Bullant label and often it is only the fruit from the best rows of these blocks.

The Langhorne Creek is situated south-east of Adelaide and is a premium viticultural region with cooling lake and ocean breezes. The average age of the Lake Breeze vines is 25 years, with youngest plantings taking place 12 years ago and the oldest vines having been planted 35 years ago. All of the vines are cultivated on their own rootstocks in soils that are generally alluvial sandy loam, with some parts over a clay base. This dry region, situated at the bottom of the Murray River, is irrigated by a weir  floodgate system. The vineyards are surrounded by striking, historically important gum trees that still bear the holes that were once dug out by the Aboriginal Australians to carve into canoes to sail up the river.