Summary: For a small winemaker, Woods Crampton has achieved a lot in a small amount of time. Part of the Barossa new wave, Woods Crampton make contemporary wines, balancing character, complexity and freshness, a world away from the fruit bombs of the past. The Woods Crampton Black Label range are single vineyard wines made in small volumes. Where we started and In many ways the core of the brand. 

 

Vineyard: Sourced exclusively from the Marschall vineyard, a eighty year old organic and dry-grown vineyard, planted on its own rootstocks to clones unknown, in the Vine Vale district. The loose sandy soils reflect sunlight and are well suited to Mataro.

 

Winemaking: Made using Burgundian techniques and a “hands-off” philosophy. The fruit is hand-picked and sorted before a cold-soak for five days at seven degrees. The fruit is primarily de-stemmed and split into small one and two-tonne fermenters with around fifteen percent whole bunches laid across the bottom. Hand plunged twice daily and allowed to ferment totally dry before pressing in a very old very gentle pneumatic press and racking to old large format oak (four hundred and eighty litre). Not racked or stirred for 15 months. Bottled without fining and minimal sulphur addition.  

 

2017 Vintage: Winter and Spring of 2016 was much wetter than usual lifting the soil moisture levels for the region. December, January and February were all cooler than usual which prolonged the ripening period by 2-3 weeks. The slower ripening for the berries ensured a greater accumulation of complex character development that winemakers are often lauding in the better years. The fruit reached optimal flavour and tannin ripeness and will contribute to making very good wines.

 

Tasting Note: The nose is dark and ripe, unveiling with time aromas of dark berry fruit, blueberry, kirsch and mince pie spice. The palate is supple and intense with licorice and dark fruit flavours wrapped in savoury spice and framed by fine tannins. The opulent fruit is balanced well by stalky whole bunch complexity and beautifully fine tannins. Pair it with a steak with mushroom sauce.