Traditional, full bodied red wines have been fermented and matured in the cellars of our Ryecroft winery since 1888. The intimate knowledge acquired over generations of local viticultural experience contributes to the unique flavour and quality of McLaren Vale grapes. Since purchasing the Ryecroft vineyard and winery in 1991, we have continued to produce a wine which employs the "Traditional" winemaking techniques of warm fermentation in small, open vats, followed by extended maturation in oak barrels. Drawn from vineyards across the McLaren Vale district and embracing a wide diversity of soil types, each adding their own individual character to the final blending components of the wine, the fruit for Traditional is selected for its premium quality and track record of excellence over at least a decade. Much is drawn from the Ryecroft vineyard itself, where hand pruned vines under a strict minimal irrigation regime contribute to the intense nature of the wine.