The Volcanic Lakes vineyard has always had a random scattering of red vines throughout the Chardonnay field. In the past this has been picked and pressed all together. As yields and vine health have increased over time we have started to go through and individually pick the red vines and vinify them separately to the Chardonnay. The grapes are de-stemmed and left on skins for 20 days in open top fermenters. This results in a crisp red wine with dark fruits, earthy minerality and lifted spice. Medium tannins from what I presume is some Cabernet or Shiraz. It has a real sense of smokey ash and graphite from the volcanic soils.