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2015 Croucher Vineyard Riesling
(Whitlands, VIC)
Origin: Whitlands, high above the King Valley.
Total vine area: 1 Hectare with Nth. Western aspect.
Yield: Unirrigated, 4 ton/acre / 60 hectolitres/hectare
Trellis: Hand pruned bi-lateral canes with vertical shoots, positioned with four moveable foliage wires.
Soil type: Deep red volcanic loam.
Altitude: approx. 780m above mean sea level.
These vines are the highest Riesling plantings in Victoria and part of the Alpine Ranges.
Harvest: 16th March 2015, refrigerated overnight, pressed out to tank then racked and transported to my winery, then inoculated and controlled temperature fermented to dryness by 18th April. Racked, filtered and bottled 7th July 2015.
Analysis: Alc.11.5% vol., pH 2.97, T/a 10.2 g/lt., nil residual sugar, screw cap seal.
Colour: Clear, Bright Straw with Green hue.
Bouquet: Elegant yet intense lime and herbaceous melon fruit characters.
Palate: A zesty, intense fruit impacts the initial palate leading to a tightly structured, delicate wine showing finely balanced acidity with a lingering mouth-watering elegance, like ‘Pixie Dust’ on your tongue. This graceful wine is a classic cold climate style from an excellent season.
Cellaring: This is a cold climate Riesling, offering fresh zesty quality whilst young but promising great development for longer term cellaring. Delightful with fresh oysters, seafood and oriental dishes at bottling, it will gain great complexity to fill out the palate, continuing to improve for 2-3 decades if stored correctly.
Winemaker: Keith Brien
2008 Keith Brien Wines Old Vines Shiraz 85% / Mataro 15%
This is the fifth release from fruit sourced from the late Vincenzo Conte’s old block at Shepparton in Central Victoria. The vineyard consists of plantings from the early nineteen sixties of the varieties Mataro and Shiraz and the gnarled, fully mature vines show a natural suitability to the climate. This special blend is a majority of Shiraz and is a deep and earthy wine from both extended skin contact and oak maturation, it shows the benefits of blending both varieties as done in Southern France and offers spicy rich fruit overlaying deep tannic complexities, suited for long term cellaring.
Harvest: Yield: 20hl/ hectare (1.3t/ acre)
Shiraz 86%: Crushed 9th. March 2008, pressed off skins on 20/03/08 and racked to a mix of 2 y.o. American and new French oak Hogs Heads.
Mataro 14%: Crushed 25th March 2008, most pressed off skins 09/ 04/ 08 with a further 10 days extended skin contact for the remainder, racked to a mix of old and new French & Hungarian oak barriques and Hogs Heads until racking and blending with the Shiraz on 30/05/2011.
Total time in oak 33 months.
No fining or filtration and bottled with DIAM seals on 17/05/11.
Analysis: Alc.14 % vol., pH 3.48, T/a 7.1 g/lt.
Colour: Deep burgundy with crimson edges.
Bouquet: Vibrant red berry, bramble and hints of aniseed mix with fine tannins underpinned with elegant oak characters and earthy complexities.
Palate: Concentrated Shiraz ‘berry fruits’ with hints of aniseed are mixed with a deep earthiness from the Mataro that compliments the vibrant fruit. This well structured wine gives a concentration of mouth filling, spicy fruit characters that flood the mid-palate, surround and integrate the fine drying tannins and create an excellent length of finish. A great food wine now, this is destined to improve for many years if cellared correctly.
Winemaker: Keith Brien
2006 Vincenzo Old Vines Mataro (Mourvedre Fr.) Shiraz
This is the third release under the Silver Wings label from fruit sourced from the late Vincenzo Conte’s old block in the Shepparton area of Central Victoria.
Tasting Notes >>
Awards:
Trophy for best blended wine – Victorian Showcase 2009.
Silver Medal – 2009 Australian Small Winemakers Show.
Price: $27 bottle / $324 dozen