Viticulture 2008 was a good growing season. The grapes were harvested at the optimum time to characteristics, the best of Langhorne Creek Shiraz. Winemaking This wine was made as a small batch (9 tonne) in a open concrete fermenter for 8 days. Pumped off twice a day by hand and pressed out gently with an air bag press. Once Malo-lactic fermentation was completed it was aged in Medium to tight grain new French Oak barrels plus one third Amercian Oak barrels. Each barrel was tasted and the finest wine selected for this bottling. Being bottled after 14 months maturation to ensure the correct balance of oak to fruit was achieved. Wine Emily Cross Shiraz a special release wine which bears the name of Phillip’s mother. “a remarkable lady who loves country life”. The wine has a lovely fruit sweetness combined with intensity and the spicy characteristics and power of a great shiraz, much like the lady herself. The wine has incredible dark inky depth and good palate weight to provide lingering flavours with each sip. This wine is worthy of drinking now and will show further development with aging in the bottle over the next 18 years. Limited release 150 dozen PH 3.46 TA 6.6 Residual Sugar 0.3g/L 14 % ALC/VOViticulture   So very few available from Phil’s Cellar Now.