150 Church Road,
Taradale,
Hawke's Bay
New Zealand
Ph: +64 6 844 2053
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©2006
This sweet wine is a true French Sauternes-style Noble Sémillon with a distinctive New Zealand signature. Rich and intensely concentrated, it has been crafted from fully botrytised grapes from our Korokipo vineyard in Hawke’s Bay.
The key to this wine lies in the strict observance of traditional French Sauternes vineyard practices and winemaking techniques. These consist of individual berry selection and full barrel fermentation in new French oak to optimise concentration, power, balance and complexity in the wine.
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Released: November 2005
Variety: 100% Sémillon
Region: 100% Hawke's Bay
Colour: Rich yellow-gold of fully-botrytised dessert wine.
Aromas: Intensely concentrated bouquet of apricots, citrus, honey and almond supported by a subtle crème brûlée richness from fermentation in French oak.
Palate: Concentrated, unctuous and sweet, but well balanced by firm acidity and good extract to provide a clean, balanced finish.
This delicious Noble Sémillon is ready to drink now, but will reward careful cellaring for seven or more years.
Very low crops of fully exposed Sémillon were fully ripened before being allowed to develop botrytis. The crop was harvested by hand in three passes, with individual berry and part-bunch selection used where required to ensure only botrytis-infected fruit was picked.
Brix at harvest: 34-38°
Winemakers: Tony Prichard and Chris Scott
Fruit was pressed immediately and the meagre juice yield was allowed to settle overnight before fermentation in new French oak barriques. Fermentation was halted once the desired alcohol/sugar balance was achieved.
Aged in 100% new French oak barriques, for approximately 14 months.
Alcohol: 14% by volume
Total acidity: 9.5g/L as tartaric
* currently available vintage(s)
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