Halo Range 'The First Cab' 2022

Appearance: medium-deep magenta, bright ruby edges

Aroma: red cherry, cranberry, yellow plum, raspberry, savoury umami, cinnamon stick, candied red apple, dried red rose petals, graphite, red licorice

Palate: refined, long, densely powerful, and tightly coiled, bright red currant core, succulent and juicy, cranberry, wild raspberry, refined, crushed rose petal, silky, powdery, chalky tannins, complete with great width and persistence, saltbush, crushed Himalayan salt, poised, focused with great energy and verve

Cool, wet winter with a very high rainfall followed by a warm to hot and dry summer. The vines grew quickly, developing excellent canopies. A delayed bud burst affected flowering and gave lower yields. Good tannin ripeness (physiological ripeness) with deep colours and silky texture. This vintage afforded a long time on the vine to complete tannin development and allow maximum complexity of fruit.

Selectively harvested in early morning in mid-April, the fruit was cool when it arrived at the winery. It was destemmed and berry sorted post destemming, then tipped into an open top fermenter and allowed to cold soak naturally before the ferment was allowed to proceed, followed by gentle hand-plunging daily from 1-3 times. Some post-ferment maceration ensued for complexity and structure to give 21 days on skins; followed by gentle pressing, creating a powerful yet silky wine.

Aged in 100% French oak (29% new) in 225L barriques and 300L hogsheads for 17 months on fine lees. Longer oak aging was sought to build complexity and help integrate the tight-knit oak and grape tannins. Blending occurred with no fining and minimal filtration. Bottled in February 2023, released March 2024.

Seared lamb rump with dried rosemary and duck fat potatoes, Manchego cheese on wild mushroom risotto