The 2008 growing season in Eden Valley was a curious mixture - overall quite cool through spring and January, but with occasional bursts of hot weather. The harvest was unusually early and the riesling grapes were picked in early February, shortly before an extended period of exceptional heat. The cold January allowed the grapes to develop intense flavours.

The grapes were hand-picked and gently air-bag pressed. The clear juice was then fermented cool, at 12-16 C, in stainless steel tanks, to retain the delicate fruit flavours. After fermentation, the wine was filtered and stored cold prior to bottling.

This is the fullest flavoured Riesling we have yet bottled from Eden Valley, where the wines can be quite reserved and steely when young. It has the depth of flavour to drink beautifully now, and will retain its freshness over the next two years or so, but will develop very complex, toasty flavours until at least 2016. Enjoy it now with salads and fresh seafood, or when mature, with fuller flavoured white meat dishes.

Colour
Pale lime yellow/green.

Nose
Intense, even full, with lemon and hints of stone-fruits.

Structure/Palate
Relatively full and round in the mouth for a Riesling with very good depth of sweet citrus flavours. Finishes dry, with balanced acidity.