Winemaking

Harvest traditionally commences in mid-February and ends by mid- to late-April, season dependent. A diversity of microclimates, terroir combined with varietal diversity in our vineyards means our fruit comes in at a gentle pace across 6 weeks. A good thing!

The harvesting is done block by block, based on careful assessment of grape chemistry and, most importantly, taste. Grapes are carefully harvested by a selective process or handpicked and delivered in a timely manner to our Greenock winery in small picking bins. At intake, grapes are destemmed but not crushed and berry sorted using modern, state-of-the-art processing equipment, before being assigned to fermenters.

Fermentation is meticulously and carefully managed in small, temperature-controlled fermenters. Fermentation is run at lower temperatures to retain aromatics and enhance freshness. Maceration on skins lasts ten to twenty days with gentle twice daily pump-overs or pigeage. 

Grenache and hand picked Shiraz will be fermented with 10-30% whole bunch promoting savoury tannin expression and lifted aromatics.

Following fermentation, wine is gently basket pressed into tank. Depending on variety pressing fractions are kept separate. To enhance wines that fill and elongate the palate, we look for soft, gentle extraction. After 48 hours of natural settling, wines are carefully racked off heavy lees onto the finest selection of new and used French oak.

Murray Street employs a philosophy of using less oak but premium extra tight grained selections. Our barrels are never racked and are matured on fine lees. The lees have antioxidant properties as well as promoting a subtle creamy texture to the wine.

Artisan wines will see 12 months in vessel where Estate and Icon designations will see between 15-18 months maturation. The last 3-4 months blended and finished in foudre.

Grenache and Mataro are the exception to the rule which will be in vessel for 10 months prior to bottling.

Shiraz is matured in diverse formats of oak from barrique (228L) to foudre (3,000L). Our oak selections are almost exclusively from Burgundian cooperages with a small selection from Austria.  

Cabernet is matured in Bordeaux coopered barriques (225L) and well as a small selection of vats (4500L).

Grenache and Mataro are almost exclusively aged in concrete eggs and vats, terracotta amphora and sandstone jarres with a small percentage maturing on oak foudre or stainless steel barrel. These materials and larger formats preserve the character of the fruit and promote brightness and vitality.  

Depending on the vintage, the winery can manage several hundred barrels of wine. Each vintage we identify the best parcels of fruit by block origin and finally by a barrel classification method. We evaluate for varietal characteristics, brightness of aromatics, colour depth, and tannin structure and mouthfeel. A final and rigorous selection process ensures that only the best barrels of wine are selected to go to the blending bench and then to the final wines

Bench trials are reviewed where blends and number of cases are finalised. The style of wine we produce seeks a balance of oak, tannins, and fruit in a wine to enjoy upon release, but with cellaring potential. This final and rigorous selection ensures the best wine is selected for each of our products..

Before bottling it is common to fine and filter wines to remove residual sediment, enhance clarity in the glass, and reduce the chance of spoilage. However, we believe this removes an intrinsic nature to the wine and therefor our red wines are bottled without fining and filtration. They offer a richer palate experience and superior cellaring potential. 

We strive to produce wines that show a transparency of site and sense of place. Our wines are free of any animal products which makes them vegan friendly. These are true Domaine grown and crafted artisan wines. All Murray Street wines are crafted to be enjoyed upon release. Our red wines will benefit from decanting when consumed at an early age.

Ben Perkins, Head Winemaker, has a steadfast commitment to create wines that over-deliver on quality, and demonstrate desired characteristics:

- Fresh, bright, clean in the glass.

- Rich on the palate, exhibiting true varietal flavours.

- Food friendly.

- Soft tannins and balanced acidity.

- Moderate alcohol and complementary oak flavour.

- Extended cellaring potential.

- Consistent profile across vintages.

This is what handcrafting wines at Murray Street is all about.