The Verdict is a Cabernet Sauvignon that brings a lot of intensity to the glass, yet bright, high tones. It’s a wine that will please any fan of the ‘new Napa-style’ for its ripeness and texture though it is an astounding value – something Napa can rarely claim. The grapes come from a “partner in crime” in the Barossa and the addition of Shiraz to the blend this vintage brings a new dimension of flavor and yet still screams Cabernet. 2023 was a cooler, more mild growing season than recent years and the result was higher natural acidities and developed, deep flavors.
The grapes were picked on flavor at optimum ripeness, fermented whole-berry in open-top stainless steel tanks. After an average of ten days on skins, the wine was pressed to a mix of used 300L French and American oak barrels where it aged for 12 months. At that point, the wine was racked to tank where it settled naturally without any fining and bottled unfiltered and with a nominal sulfur addition.