Dr McMahon wines are crafted in tribute to Seville Estate’s founder, Dr Peter McMahon, who planted our first vines with his wife Margaret in 1972. These wines feature hand selected bunches of fruit to express the unique site through a bold winemaking approach. Each release will benefit from careful cellaring and continue to reveal complex layers 10+ years into the future.
The 2021 growing season will forever be remembered as one of the greats in the Upper Yarra. Mild steady temperatures and average even rainfall resulted in good yields as well as balance and complex flavour development across all varieties. Harvest was able to commence in early March, which is preferable to the hotter daytime temperatures typically observed in February.
Fruit was handpicked early in the morning into small buckets, with bunch selection done in the vineyard. The fruit was placed directly into two new 500L French oak barrels (100% whole bunch) and left on skins for 55 days, with wild primary fermentation and wild malolactic fermentation taking place. The wine and must was then drained and pressed back to one of the 500L barrels, then matured for 10-12 months, then bottled using no fining or filtration.
100% whole bunch | 100% wild ferment | 100% wild MLF | 100% barrel fermented | 100% new oak.
Bright and elegant aromas leap from the glass, with lavender and crushed pomegranate pips leading the charge. Very perfumed – a florist in September – with hyacinth, lilac, crushed allspice and raspberry coulis revealing themselves with each visit to the glass.
The palate is equally elegant, though grows much bolder with each passing second. Dark cherry, red currants and bittersweet Italian chinotto are evident, while super fine, yet bold and omnipresent tannins draw out its length. Piquant blood orange juice acidity lingers alluding to a myriad of layers that are waiting to unfurl. Approachable upon release, though time will be its friend. Will comfortably walk through the next decade or two. Drink 2023 - 2040
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97 points, Halliday Wine Companion 2023
“Very perfumed, the whole bunches and the oak have been swallowed up by the fruit. Little red strawberries, peony, liquorice root, spice and a little tobacco on the bouquet. Delicate yet powerful and structured, this is another fascinating Dr McMahon wine…”
Philip Rich, July 2023
