The Vineyard
The fruit comes exclusively from the two tiny south-facing blocks 4 and 7 of the Chapman Brook vineyard, the most southern and inland of our properties. The typical soils of these vineyards are geologically ancient, free draining sandy loams with a high percentage of lateritic gravel. The vines are vertically trained, spurpruned and canopy manipulations are repeated throughout the season to allow good air flow and bright sunlight on the fruit.
The Season
After a dry winter, Margaret River experienced a moderately warm summer, punctuated by unusual rainfalls in the second half of January which delayed the first harvests by about 10 days. The moderate day and low night temperatures allowed exceptional preservation of the varietal white aromas and a long harvest period to pick each small batch of fruit in the most perfect conditions. As a result, in addition to intense fruit flavours, the semillon developed a beautifully rich texture. 2016 was an exceptional vintage for semillon in Margaret River!
Winemaking
Early in the ripening season, the semillon from blocks 4 and 7 showed intense varietal characters, mostly white peppercorns and an exceptionally oily texture. The fruit was machine-picked in the coldest hours of the morning to allow for a maximum of skin contact before pressing. The juice was fermented in 100% new French oak barrels and stayed in the same barrels undisturbed, unsulphured and on lees all the way to the bottling in January 2017. This wine is meant for ageing and will reward patience with a different personality expressing itself every few months.
Analysis
12.5% alcohol, 7.1 g/l total acidity, 3.13 pH
Wine Companion
From the far south of Margaret River, fermented and matured in French oak giving it a luminous green-straw colour. It is every bit as complex as its vinification could give, filling the mouth with strands of flavours ranging from lemon to honey. But it's the power of the crunchy acidity on the finish that gives this wine its passport with unlimited rights of re-entry.
