Tasting note
Has a rich, bright, golden yellow hue and an aromatic, complex nose of lime marmalade, guava and melon fruit and toasty oak nuances. The palate is medium to full bodied and rounded, packed with luscious tropical fruit flavours, a delicious mineral streak and well integrated, nutty oak which lends a creamy texture in the mouth. Finishes soft and succulent.
Viticulture
Sourced from established vineyards planted in 1985 and 1986 on Hutton soils (decomposed granite) and planted at a density of 3200 vines per ha. Vineyard practices include vertical hedge trellising, spur pruning to 2 buds every 12cms and supplementary drip irrigation. Hand harvested from 31st January to 26th February, the yield was 5t/ha.
Vinification
The bunches were de-stalked and crushed, chilled and left over night in contact with the skins before pressing, settling and racking from the gross lees into 33% new French barriques where alcoholic and malo-lactic fermentation took place at about 21 degrees C. Battonage was performed once every 3 weeks during a total ageing period of 11 months.
Food Match
Rich seafood dishes or perhaps with lighter game birds or poultry.