Named after Sir James The Black Douglas (Scottish knight, feudal lord and one of the chief commanders during the Wars of Scottish Independence), this idiosyncratic blend tells a multi-variety story of Bannockburns vineyards each year. In cooler years the Douglas gets some Shiraz added instead of Pinot (which finds its place in the warm years), to raise the fruit profile.
From a cracking Victorian vintage, the 2017 Douglas is comprised of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Shiraz and 7% Merlot. The varietal batches were wild-fermented separately, then pressed to seasoned and 20% new hogsheads for 15 months levage. The three parcels were racked and blended before bottling in May 2018.
