Winemaker's Notes
"A powerfully structured wine of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot added for complexity, the 2005 Dry Red No 1 offers concentrated aromas of black cherries and cassis with hints of olive and earth notes in the background. The palate is interwoven with cedary, French oak characters with integrated tannins running in unison along the long, silky finish. This is a wine of great clarity and depth and one that will age beautifully over the next 20+ years."

Stephen Tanzer
"92 pts ... Dark violet. Fresh red berry and cherry aromas are strikingly pure, with fresh floral and mineral nuances contributing to the impression of brightness. Crisp and focused, with vibrant redcurrant and wild strawberry flavors, silky tannins and a late note of licorice. Finishes brisk and clean, with a hint of pungent herbs and striking freshness and length." --07/07

James Halliday
"95 pts ... Altogether stylish, the whole character and impact radically different to the shiraz side of the portfolio; bright and lively cassis and blackcurrant; not the least bit green, and has very good length. Drink through 2020." --07/08

Wine Advocate
"93+ pts ... The 2005 Dry Red Wine No. 1 is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the balance Malbec and Petit Verdot. It was aged in 100% new oak. Purple-colored, it emits an alluring fragrance of smoky oak, toast, vanilla, pencil lead, olives, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a full-bodied, tannic, muscular wine in need of a decade of cellaring. Impressively balanced, all components are well-integrated, and the finish lasts for 60 seconds. It will drink well through 2035." --10/07

Technical Notes
"Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Merlot (15%) with the balance Malbec and Petit Verdot. In his search for purity, Dr. Carrodus has maintained his classically proportioned, elegant style of winemaking. Grapes are hand-harvested into small containers before being gently lowered into an antique crusher-destemmer. From there, the must flows into custom designed fermenters – vintage tea chests lined with stainless steel and propped on wheels. When necessary, cooling is achieved by lowering ice blocks into these unique vessels. Maturation is carried out in lightly toasted barrels before the wines are bottled in the simplest of packaging, reflecting the purity of the wines with in. Aged 18 months in 100% new French oak barriques. 13% alc."