The 2005 vintage is a classic example of the character that comes from a childhood of victory over adversity. It was a trying and frustrating season with a very cool spring and what can only be described as the December from hell. This is the critical flowering and fruit set month, but our diverse range of clones and rootstocks paid dividends in terms of the variation between flowering dates. The end result was a crop averaging just 20hl/ha (3 tonnes per hectare): around half of our usual cropping level. This proved a blessing in disguise as even in the chilling temperatures, our exceptional sites and viticulture achieved optimal ripeness of this small crop. This year could be one of our longest maturing wines we have yet made: our first “Vin de Gard”. Time alone will tell whether it will be the finest Felton Road to this date, but it will be a contender.