The Vineyard
Our best blocks of sauvignon blanc and semillon are planted on free draining lateritic gravel with a layer of clay appearing at variable depths. The parcels are spur and cane pruned to strict vertical shoot positioning. The sauvignon berries are lightly shaded by the canopy to retain all its freshness while the semillon is allowed more sun exposure to develop its ripe lemon aromas and distinguished texture
The Season
Winter provided average rainfall (958mm) and spring delivered beautiful warm, dry conditions, perfectly setting up vintage 2016. A warm start to summer in January gave good fruit set and crop predictions. An unseasonal single rain event in late January delivered adequate soil moisture for full maturity especially for the dry grown 1970 plantings this wine hails from. This resulted in immaculate fruit with both plushness and elegance
Winemaking
This wine starts with a selection of the best parcels of fruit in the vineyard, the 2016 carefully machine harvested at night to best preserve the fruit freshness. The berries were lightly macerated then gently pressed, fermented in a combination of French oak barrels (20% new oak) and stainless steel barrels . The wine was aged unsulfured and untouched on lees (fermentation solids) for eleven months with no stirring or racking. A selection of the best barrels were blended just prior to bottling to make the wine which is most indicative of the season and the vineyard
Analysis
13% alcohol, 7.0 g/l total acidity, 3.18 pH
Wine Companion
A really good wine that was (and remains) a trail blazer for long-lived SBS in the style of white Bordeaux. Barrel fermentation is an important part of the wine's style - when done well you get a wine such as this.