THE 2005 MAX V IS THE FIRST BORDEAUX STYLE BLEND GROWN, VINTAGED AND BOTTLED EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE CLARE VALLEY CONTAINING 5 OF THE NOBLE VARIETIES AND USING AN INNOVATIVE BARREL FERMENTING SYSTEM, CALLED ‘VINIFICATION INTEGRALEâ€(tm) WHICH ALLOWS THE GRAPES TO BE CRUSHED AND INSERTED INTO THE BARREL FOR THE ENTIRE PRIMARY FERMENTATION, MACERATION AND THE MORE USUAL SECONDARY FERMENTATION. • MATURED FOR 18 MONTHS IN 100% NEW FRENCH OAK FROM TONNELLERIE BARON, TONNELLERIE DEMPTOS AND SEGUIN MOREAU. FROM THESE 3 COOPERAGES WE HAVE CHOSEN 5 DIFFERENT FORESTS AND 4 LEVELS OF TOASTING GIVING 19 VARIATIONS OF OAK. THE COOPERAGES CHOSEN SUPPLY SOME OF THE FINEST PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD AND INCLUDE OPUS ONE (MONDAVI-NAPA VALLEY), CHÂTEAU LA DOMINIQUE (SAINT EMILION), CHÂTEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE, CHÂTEAU MALARTIC LAGRAVIÈRE (BORDEAUX- FRANCE), CLOUDY BAY, TE MATA ESTATE AND VILLA MARIA ESTATE (NEW ZEALAND). • CRUSHED AND CRAFTED AT SEVENHILL CELLARS, THE OLDEST VINEYARD AND WINERY IN THE CLARE VALLEY AND THE 7TH OLDEST IN AUSTRALIA. • 35% OF MAX V HAS BEEN FERMENTED USING THE VINIFICATION INTEGRALE, A COMBINATION OF THE REMAINING 65% FERMENTED AND LEFT ON SKINS IN RARE MINTARO SLATE OPEN TOP FERMENTERS, HAND PLUNGED 3 TIMES PER DAY GIVING MINIMAL MACHINE INTERFERENCE. A TRULY HAND-CRAFTED PRODUCT. • 5TH GENERATION WINEMAKER SIMON GILBERT IS JOINED BY TOP CLARE VALLEY VIGNERON LEIGH ELDREDGE IN PRODUCING THE FIRST EVER VINTAGE OF MAX V. Colour VIBRANT RICH CRIMSON, WITH PUPLE HUES Nose OPEN AND LIFTED FRUIT OF WILD RED FOREST BERRIES WITH WELL LAYERED COMPLEX OAK - CHARACTERISTIC OF FINE FRENCH OAK OF TOBACCO. A FURTHER LAYER OF COMPLEXITY APPEARS THROUGH NUANCES OF MINT, SPICY BLACK PEPPER AND RED CEDAR Palate THE FRONT PALATE DISPLAYS POWERFUL RED CEDAR WITH RASPBERRIES AND BLACKCURRANT, CARRYING THROUGH WITH WELL STRUCTURED MIDPALATE BLACK AND REDCURRANT FRUIT INTERWOVEN WITH PRESTINE OAK AND EARLY HINTS OF MOCHA. THE QUALITY STRUCTURE IS AIDED BY WELL BALANCED ACIDITY AND FIRM TANNINS TO FINISH WITH SUCCULENT BLOOD PLUM ON THE BACK PALATE AND A SOFT ELEGANT FINISH. ALTHOUGH THE ALCOHOL LEVEL IS 14.5%/VOL. IT DOES NOT PRESENT ANY IMBALANCES THIS WINE WHILST DRINKING WELL NOW WILL AGE WELL OVER THE NEXT 12 -20 YEARS UNDER THE CORRECT CELLARING CONDITIONS. Technical Analysis ALCOHOL: 14.5%/VOL. TITRATABLE ACIDITY: 6.5 G/L RESIDUAL SUGAR (GLUCOSE/FRUCTOSE): 0.7 G/L PH: 3.50 FILTRATION: MINIMAL ROBERTSON of CLARE WINES