The 2021 vintage was intense. Record heat threatened to shut down the vines and regular irrigation was needed to keep the vines ticking along. The hot season resulted in an early harvest, one of the earliest dates we have ever harvested our Riesling, starting on September 23rd. Yields were lower due to the heat but the flavours and intensity were excellent. The small clusters of Riesling grapes were foot trodden, lightly pressed and racked to neutral barrels to ferment naturally and then age for around 10 months on the lees to build texture, mouthfeel and complexity. The ripe vintage resulted in the wine naturally halting fermentation at 13.5% alcohol with around 10g/L of residual sugar. This with a TA of 9.4 and pH of 2.67 makes for a very powerful, intense yet balanced wine. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered in August 2022.
Medium lemon in colour, with aromas of chalk, ripe apple, honey, savoury lees notes, white peach, pear, pomello and lemon. Just off-dry but balanced by high, racy acidity, rich in texture, packed with stony minerality, baked apple, poached pear, apple skin, lees, pineapple, honey, peach, grapefruit zest with excellent length.
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