Nose
Fresh, lifted citrus and tropical fruit aromas with some grassy notes and hints of dried herbs.
Palate
Crunchy, fresh flavours of tropical fruits,lemon and lime combine with subtle hints of cocount derived from a small component of barrel fermentation. Lees contact offers additional complexity and texture to the palate, finishing with a clean, crisp, natural acidity.
Growing Conditions
Following one of the coldest and wettest winters on record, a cooler than average growing season commenced later than normal with bud burst in mid September. Overall the summer was cooler than average, however a nice November and early December saw sunshine and warmer weather provide perfect conditions for flowering which, resulted in excellent fruit set. Observing the lateness of the season and and the potentially high yields, the vineyard team commenced an extensive crop thinning program in January, pre-véraison. Late summer and early autumn were also slightly cooler and wetter than average, resulting in a delayed start to harvest. Our first harvest for the vintage was Chardonnay which was handpicked on 28 February, some three weeks later than a "normal" season. Chardonnay was steadily harvested during the first two weeks in March. Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chenin Blanc followed immediately afterwards and, all of the fruit reaped the benefits of the cooler season, showing excellent concentration of flavours with nicely balanced acidity. The vines appreciated the milder ripening weather with no excessive heat, allowing intense varietal characters to develop with excellent freshness, vibrancy and purity.The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon fruit was harvested from five separate blocks between 15 and 21 March. The vines are all planted on gravelly loam soils with different aspects and microclimates offering slightly different flavour profiles. The Sauvignon Blanc vineyards are planted mainly to Clone 1, which is perfect for this style of wine, offering crunchy, lifted tropical fruit aromas and flavours. The Semillon contributes strong citrus elements, and provides palate weight and structure to the wine. The Semillon component was sourced from our North Block 10 vineyard which was planted in 1995. This vineyard consistently produces outstanding fruit with great flavour intensity. All the vines are hand-pruned, shoot-thinned and yields are regulated to a target of ten tonnes per hectare, which ensures consistency from season to season.The 2017 Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon fruit was harvested from five separate blocks between 15 and 21 March. The vines are all planted on gravelly loam soils with different aspects and microclimates offering slightly different flavour profiles. The Sauvignon Blanc vineyards are planted mainly to Clone 1, which is perfect for this style of wine, offering crunchy, lifted tropical fruit aromas and flavours. The Semillon contributes strong citrus elements, and provides palate weight and structure to the wine. The Semillon component was sourced from our North Block 10 vineyard which was planted in 1995. This vineyard consistently produces outstanding fruit with great flavour intensity. All the vines are hand-pruned, shoot-thinned and yields are regulated to a target of ten tonnes per hectare, which ensures consistency from season to season.
Winemaking
Each batch was de-stemmed and pressed to tank immediately upon arrival to the winery. After settling for clarification of the juice, each batch was racked and then innoculated with QA23 yeast cultures for alcoholic fermentation which generally lasted 12-17 days.Portions of both Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc were fermented in new tight-grain French oak, with maturation and lees stirring for two months. Upon completion of all ferments and necessary maturation, the parcels were blended, stabilised and filtered prior to bottling on 10 July 2017.
Appearance
Pale straw green
Food Pairing
Great as an aperitif. Enjoy with fresh goat's cheese, light crustacean or fish entrées.
