The Stoke brand is a tribute to the largely untapped potential of Kangaroo Island as a premium wine-growing region. Nick Dugmore makes wines that are expressive of the relatively cool, wind-swept vineyards of KI, with a focus on lighter to midweight styles with food and conviviality in mind. The leased Cassini Vineyard now provides the bulk of the fruit for the label, with Dugmore farming the site regeneratively side by side with his father.

A lot went into this wine. The winemakers separated the fruit into two portions to develop distinctive blending components.

The first 50% underwent a semi-carbonic maceration. A bit of foot stomping was done in the bottom of the tank to initiate a small fermentation, after which whole bunches were placed on top. The CO2 released during fermentation helped to toughen the stems of the whole bunches. The tank was then sealed.

The other portion was processed using a crusher, with the rollers removed to allow for a whole berry fermentation. During the fermentation process, a few buckets were syphoned out each day to enhance the concentration of the skin-to-juice ratio. This method enabled the winemakers to extract flavour and texture without excessive agitation.

All the components were then aged in French oak barrels for 12 months before being blended together.