Thorn-Clarke take great pride in retaining the most accomplished viticultural team, it has ultimately been a consistency in the quality of fruit at harvest time which has brought the estate such enduring success. The grapes are crushed and destemmed into fermenters. Yeast is added immediately once in fermenter and the ferments are pumped over twice daily to maximise colour, tannin and flavour extraction. Cooling is used to ensure ferments remain in the 22C to 25C range which will achieve maximum fruit expression. Pressing then occurs approximately seven days after crush, followed by transfer into a mix of tight grain French and American oak barrels for a year's maturation.