Exceptional Langtons Classification. Graveyard is the jewel of the Brokenwood crown, it endures as one of the nation's great first growths. A word to the squeamish, the property may have been zoned as Pokolbin cemetery in 1882 but was never populated. Established to descendants of colonial rootstock in 1968, the vines at Graveyard struggle to yield meagre harvests of the most intense berries. A Shiraz of outstanding line, as Len Evans coined the phrase, to convey fine structure, exquisite balance and generous palate length.
A terroir of extremely heavy clays over loam subsoils, pockets of ironstone here and there, topsoils are very mean and shallow. Yields from the Graveyard Vineyard are low, but fruit flavour is intense through the fastidious employment of meticulous viticultural techniques. Grapes are all hand picked and treated to an extended cold soak, followed by several days of vinification in a collection of three tonnes, open top fermenters at 26°C to 28°C, hand plunged twice daily. Upon completion to dry, batches are pressed off skins and filled to a high proportion of new French oak barrels and larger format 500 Litres puncheons, for a course of malolactic and term of maturation.
Bright red colour, youthful hues. A nose in the savoury red spectrum, almost cherry compote, bran meal and vanillan oak with sufficient fruit to balance. These follow on to the medium bodied palate with plenty of sweet flavours up front, initially soft to mid weight tannins, followed by red berry and spice flavours. Fine grape and oak tannins begin to grip on the excellent, lasting finish.
