We used some cool toys making this wine, including fermenting the Merlot in a horizontal Italian fermenter we call a “VMO” (Vinificatore Maceratore Orizzontale). This is a great piece of winemaking technology, which has paddles inside to mix the fermenting juices and skins. It also has a built in heater and is plumbed into the winery cooling system so we can easily manage temperature to keep yeast happy! The Cabernet although fermented in conventional open top fermenters, but mixed using a submersible pump called a Turbopigeur. This pump draws the fermenting wine from under the cap of skins, and helicopters the liquid back over the cap, helping extract colour, tannins and flavour. This wine is a blend of almost 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with just a little more Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot. The Cabernet gives the wine its blackcurrant note and some drying powdery tannins; the Merlot adds a fruitcake and spice aroma, and adds a layer of velvety texture to this medium bodied red wine.