Nose
The wine has an intense nose of lifted candied rose petal, fresh red berries of strawberry, raspberry and cranberry with hints of rose water and blood orange. There is a delicate granite minerality; slightly saline.
Palate
On the palate, ripe juicy red berries of raspberry, wild strawberry and red currants are accentuated by hints of turkish delight and rose water. It is delicately mineral with red apple acidity giving a fine line and length allowing brightness and lift yet with a textural mid-palate.
Growing Conditions
A wet November with twice the average rainfall gave way to a warmer December and January with hot days but cool nights giving some reprieve to the vines. February experienced some significant rainfall events that freshened up the canopies for later ripening varieties and allowed for some leaf removal without the risk of sunburn. The mild conditions to finish off the season resulted in fresh natural acidity and fruit with a wonderful depth of flavour.
Harvest
The fruit was sourced from our Crossroads (74%), Chapman Brook (23%) and Wallcliffe (3%) Vineyards, where cool night time temperatures preserve natural acidity and aromatics. Vibrancy, varietal expression and site specific characteristics are created through careful canopy manipulation. The vineyard team is tasked with delivering whole berries to the winery in optimal condition. To achieve this, fruit was harvested in the cool of the night to capture purity and elegance.
Winemaking
The cool fruit was destemmed, crushed and rapidly pressed using our pneumatic presses to capture vibrant fruit characters with minimal tannin and colour pick up. The juice was either cold settled or underwent flotation (a rapid lees separation technique using inert gas) and cool fermention began using a selected yeast to accentuate fresh fruity varietal characteristics. Stainless tank ferment proceeded to dryness with individual batches resting on lees for three months. Once assembled, the final blend was minimally fined and filtered to capture bright vibrancy before being estate bottled.
Appearance
A pretty delicate pale salmon pink colour.
Food Pairing
The brightness of this wine would be enhanced by a watermelon, mint and feta salad or counter balanced well by sushi of butterfish with pickled ginger and wasabi. Alternatively, a simple manchego cheese plate would compliment the vibrant fruit.
