Nose
Nectarines, white pear, jasmine and freshly zested limes.
Palate
A crisp entry of white pear, gooseberries and white flowers, gently balanced by subtle French oak tones and vibrant acidity. Richer flavours of stone fruit are tempered by hints of cut grass, limes and gravel, leading to a finish of mineral persistence and fruit driven impact.
Growing Conditions
Vintage 2018 was definitively mild, subdued, and drawn out, with a notable lack of extreme or challenging weather conditions in comparison to the last few years. Vine growth was excellent, with late winter and spring rains providing a stable supply of moisture. Excess vigour issues were dealt with by employing shoot thinning and vine de-legging practices, with some blocks treated quite late in a successful attempt to deter regrowth and crowding of fruit zone areas. Vintage began on the 27th January, in line with the earliest picking dates on record, vintage proper commenced probably around two weeks later and sailed along smoothly with around three to four harvests per week right through to harvest completion on the 13th April.
Winemaking
Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are all harvested separately according to their flavours and natural acidity balances. The fruit is cold pressed; the juice settled and then fermented using a variety of techniques. A portion is fermented in stainless steel at low temperatures to preserve freshness, while around 20% of the cuvee is fermented in French oak barriques to provide textural and complexing elements. We matched a yeast strain specifically to this wine in order to enhance the natural varietal characters of passionfruit and gooseberry. When fermentation was complete, the wine was then aged on it’s lees with gentle battonage for about a month before bottling in July to retain freshness.
Aging
Up to 4 years, however we enjoy it for freshness now.
Appearance
Light green with white streaks.
