2021 Watervale Riesling

Pale lemon with green hues.

Intense lime and lemon verbena. Musk, floals and fennel undertones.

Powerful yet fine citrus flavours, with hints of wild fennel spice. Electric acid line with wonderful purity of fruit and balance, plus a long persistent finish.

Drink now or cellar for 15-20 years.

This vineyard has classic Watervale soils - red loam over limestone with a westerly aspect. A dry grown vineyard - meaning it relies only on natural rainfall - the vines are hand-pruned and fruit hand-picked. The limestone allows the soil to retain moisture, which assists the wine throughout periods of warm weather, almost drought-proofing in the summer months. Viticultrual practices include vertical shoot positioning, which not only encourages even ripening but provides important shade to prevent the impact of sunburn on the wine.

Fruit is harvested by hand and stored undercover, with approximately seven tonnes being picked in one day. The fruit is de-stemmed and crushed then gently pressed, resulting in a fine free-run cut and a pressings component, which are handled separately. The free-run juice is chilled to preserve the vineyard expression and purity of fruit. Once the juice has settled, it is racked off solids and seeded with yeast. A cool, temperature-controlled fermentation is carried out over 10-14 days.

Alcohol - 12.5%

pH - 3.02

Acidity - 7.3g/L