AUSTRALIA VINTAGE REPORT: The 2017 winegrape crush is estimated to be 1.93 million tonnes, based on responses received by the Wine Sector Survey 2017. This crush is 5 per cent higher than the 2016 final crush figure of 1.84 million tonnes (Department of Agriculture and Water Resources – Levies recorded figure). It is the third consecutive vintage where the tonnes crushed have increased.
Additional tonnes this year came relatively equally fr...
<10 tasting notes
Clear and bright gold with the slightest hint of fresh green on the edges.
The nose is already intense and opens with classic varietal notes of ripe citrus, white peaches with grilled pineapple and leave way to a complexity with toasted nuts, wisteria flowers, muscaty whiffs and very savoury undertones. All come to play with the mouth-watering panettone crumb notes of the caramelised oak.
Textural, almost oily from the first sip with aromas of white and yellow peaches, raisins, cantaloupe and candied citrus peels. Fresh but already rich and enveloped with warm charred oak and brioche notes on the finish. This wine will reward patience with developing complexity, expected to reveal itself even further over many years.
As each block has a very different personality picking is only decided by taste. Harvest extends over a long period, from late February to mid-March. The fruit is 100% hand-picked into small 6.5kg baskets to ensure it arrives in pristine condition. After gentle whole-bunch pressing, the batches go straight to barrels, all solids remaining. We use exclusively French oak, with Burgundian barrel format, at about one third new. Wild fermentation is left to happen with some malolactic fermentation.
Following a beautiful and promising flowering, summer was mild and our vineyards were fully dry-grown. The cool nights and mild days provided the perfect growing conditions for delicate aromas and fine acid balance in whites. Harvest finally started at Cape Mentelle on February 28th, with generous yields, across all the vineyards in the Margaret River region. The wine was bottled over two days in mid-January, just before the start of the following harvest.
Member |
|
|---|---|
Pro Member |
|
Winemerchant Member |
|
Winery Member |
|
User |
|
Insight Member |
|
Free 7 days Member trial |
|
|---|---|
Member |
|
Pro Member |
|
Winemerchant Member |
|
Winery Member |
|
Insight Member |
|