2010 Whitehaven Riesling
Accolades
Gold Medal - NZ International Wine Show 2010
PURE SILVER - Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2011
Tasting Note
Colour / Appearance:Light straw with a bright clarity. Aroma / Bouquet:Lifted perfumed aromas of lemon rind, citrus flower and floral nuances. Palate:Fresh-flavoured and light-bodied with a racy acid length and an off-dry finish. Flavours of Lemon/lime, delicate florals and green apple are to the fore with hints of ginger spice. Cellaring:The wine is in good balance and can be enjoyed immediately. Cellaring for a year or more will allow the wine to gain honeyed bottle-age complexity and softened
acidity to augment its expressive varietal character. Food Match:Best with food but also makes an ideal aperitif. A wonderful match with fish, scallops, crayfish and seafood in general, or any aromatic spice dishes. Serve:Lightly chilled.
Wine Analysis
Alcohol:12.5 %Residual Sugar:7.4 g/L Titratable Acidity:7.7 g/L pH:3.01
Viticulture
Harvest Date:2nd and 10th April 2010 Climate:The early ripening season was cooler than average, resulting in a late flowering. Warm dry conditions over budburst and later in the season lead to balanced yields,
clean fruit and exceptional flavours. Vine Management:From vineyards in the Brancott and Rapaura subregions. Vines are trained to two canes on a standard trellis, with balanced pruning, shoot thinning, vertical
shoot positioning, tucking and trimming to achieve an open healthy canopy with even fruit ripeness.
Vinification
Winemaking:A portion of the fruit was hand-picked and lightly whole bunch pressed. The remainder was machine harvested in cool evening conditions, and pressed with minimal skin contact. Only the clear free run juice was fermented at very low temperature with aromatic yeast strains to preserve the inherent fruit flavours. Fermentation was stopped before completion to retain a small amount of sweetness, balancing the fresh acidity. Winemaker:Sam Smail