2017 Evan's Alchemy

Winemaker's Notes

Dark and stern, Evan’s Alchemy lures the nose by notions of sultana raisin, dark cherry, walnut and caramel.  The palate is weighty, creamy-rich and compellingly flavoured, proposing blackberry, dried dark fruits, cocoa and molasses, finishing with a smoky inference.

Evan’s Alchemy is formulated from estate-farmed cabernet sauvignon (58%), merlot (33%) and cabernet franc (9%), hand-picked November 1st from Rennie Estates’ Heron Pond Vineyard.

Post-ferment grape skins from the Estate appassimento were added to the already-vinified cabernet sauvignon for a “ripasso” second fermentation.  After a year in 3rd-fill French oak, it was given a second soak on dried skins.  

Now a double-ripasso, the wine rested a further 14 months in neutral French oak before completion with an addition of reserve appassimento merlot. 

The resulting blend was bottling in August 2020 was 16% alcohol, 0.9 gram per litre residual sugar, 5.9 grams per litre titratable acidity and 3.94 pH.

Total production was only 79 cases of 750-mL bottles and nine cases of 1.5-L “magnum” bottles.