Description
Sitting on the edge of an escarpment, the vineyard is planted at 580 metres above sea level in deep, shaley, mudstone soils. Vineyard Owner/Operator Mark Walpole (ex-Brown Brothers Viticulturist) employs a fastidious viticultural approach that combines arch-cane pruning with judicious leaf plucking and fruit thinning. This, in conjunction with the inherent suitability of the site to the variety, ensures the desired fruit flavour profile and tannin maturation is achieved in the vineyard.
After hand harvesting, the majority of fruit was de-stemmed, lightly crushed and cold soaked for four days. A parcel of 100 per cent whole bunches was fermented separately making up approximately 30 per cent of the final blend. During fermentation, the timing and combination of pump-overs, rack and returns, pigeage and plunging was to preserve aromatics and perfume yet extract adequate tannins for structure and length. Post-fermentation, the wine was held on skins for a further 15 days before pressing to French oak hogsheads (35% first use) for 16 months. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration
2024 Harvest Date: 8-9th March
Bottled: September 2025
REVIEWS
Falling firmly in cool climate territory, the Aquila Audax Vineyard at 580m brings a different tempranillo expression to the usual generous Aussie style. The ’24 is firm, fine, with an elegance built around cherry, summer berries, morello cherry, wild herbs and leaves, bracken, earth. At this early stage (tasted before release) it is primed: bright, well balanced and raring to explore more as it matures. That fresh, crunchy acidity is so clean and enticing now, but the tannins and fine flavours speak of an even brighter future.
94 points – Jeni Port for Halliday Wine Companion.
Bright, bold and quite deep purple colour; very fresh, bright aroma of desiccated coconut and raspberry, the palate straightforward and bright with fresh acidity and medium weight flavour finishing with a touch of chew from chunky tannins. This has some substance and potential to develop well with a few years in the bottle. Very promising.
90 points – Huon Hooke for The Real Review.
