This is a flavourful dry wine with aromas reminiscent of yellow wild flowers (calendula and daisy) mingled with paw paw, sizzled lemon and tropical vanilla.
On tasting, ripe apple and delicate clover honey provide the flavours, with a toasty finish. There is great balance between fruit sweetness and acidity and a lovely silky texture. Will age further with grace.
Additional information
Reviews
5 stars, First in Class, Winestate Magazine, Sept/Oct 2017
“A rare treat in New Zealand, this beautifully maturing Semillon shows complex aromas of citrus, almond, beeswax and straw, which lead to a concentrated and focused palate that is rounded and richly textured with seamlessly integrated acidity. The wine shows plenty of character and appeal, and finishes impressively long.”
93/100, 5 stars, Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2015
Winemaking notes
The fruit for this wine was sourced entirely from the estate vineyard at Livingston Road in Brightwater, from 12 year old vines. It was 100% hand picked fruit, nice and ripe at 21.7 Brix. Semillon vines will yield very highly given half a chance, so judicious fruit thinning was undertaken at veraison to retain concentration of flavour and ensure the fruit would fully ripen.
The grapes were whole bunch pressed to prevent excessive phenolic extraction from the skins, the juice was settled and the clear juice racked to be fermented in stainless steel. After ferment the wine was aged sur lies for 6 months to give a rounded mouthfeel and mid-palate weight.
