Fraser’s ‘simple yet attentive’ farming philosophy remains unchanged since his first vintage, but he begins to learn more about the subtleties of Adrian Hoffmann’s vineyard. Fraser picks some parcels of the biodynamically farmed vineyard early for acidity and drive and a few picked much later providing that definitive Barossa richness. He remains prudent in the vineyard with labor intensive farming and is vigilant not just during the growing season but during the ‘regrowth’ season with all pruning cuts are made amid descending lunar cycles, producing healthy canes, balanced clusters and small berries with resilient skins in the summer. All of this work results in the harvest of healthy fruit early in the season that requires no additions or adjustments and little intervention. The fruit for the 2022 vintage comes from three blocks: DW-OLD (planted between 1888-1912), ER-27 (planted 1927) & DW-95VSP (planted 1995). The yields ranged from 35-51 hectoliters per hectare.

The grapes were hand-harvested and hand-sorted back at the winery. The carefully selected whole-clusters were placed into closed stainless-steel fermenters where they fermented carbonically without any additions. After 3-4 weeks on skins, Fraser gently foot stomps the ferment daily for two weeks.  The juice is then basket pressed into Burgundy pièces (25% of which were new) for maturation. Primary and malolactic fermentation finish naturally in barrel and to encourage the retention of naturally occurring carbon dioxide (a natural preservative and antioxidant) the wines are not racked during their élevage and remain on their lees until the barrels are selected and blended. After 19 months in barrel the wine is racked to tank to naturally settle and bottled in the spring of 2023 without fining or filtration and just a small addition of sulfur.