Tomfoolery Monkey Business Cabernet Franc 2021

From stack to stack this young man would swing from barrel to barrel with toes a curl and unrelenting furl. Lengths of carefully laid stillage ensures his safety as he endeavours to tend his precious store.

The Tomfoolery ‘Monkey Business’ Cabernet Franc is sourced from a select premium vineyard on the borders of the two villages of Bethany and Vine Vale in the Barossa Valley. Grown by 6th generation grape growers, the Hage family, this flat site has varying depths of sand/sandy loams overlaying red clays and shale and situated at 316 metres above sea level.

The fruit is handpicked at optimum ripeness and flavour profile, ensuring overall balance before being gently destemmed to keep as many whole berries as possible. It is then open-fermented for a minimum of five days with the juice being pumped over the skins twice daily to maximize oxygenation and purity of fermentation. Once the wine is dry it is then gently basket-pressed minimizing the extraction of harsh tannins.

Matured for 18 months in seasoned French oak barriques.

Colour: Medium purple with a bright rim.

Aroma: Exotic, crunchy dried leaves, camphor chest, spice and a lift of fresh cut grasses.

Palate: Juicy, ripe dark berries and fruitcake with a tangy acid spike, finishes long with fine but firm tannins and ethereal varietal flavour.