Winegrowing

Following in the footsteps of my grandmother Doris, to whom this wine is dedicated, I wanted to be a leader not a follower. I challenged myself to make a unique wine exploring a lighter more fragrant side to the merlot grape variety. The grapes are organically grown on a vineyard in Hawkes Bay with stony, free draining gravel soils.

The merlot starts fermenting with indigenous yeast and once there is a CO2 cover, I add whole bunch malbec and cabernet franc. The whole bunch fruit brings fragrance to the aromas and flavour and succulence to the tannin structure.

Doris is matured in French oak barrels until there is a harmony between the flavours, texture and tannin. I bottle the wine unfiltered. Doris will mature with elegance in bottle