Review
94 POINTS - TONY LOVE (HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION)
“One of 3 Grüners from this creative Hills couple. 50% whole-bunch pressed with 2 days skin contact, wild fermentation and lees influence. Swelling with white peach and pear, the texture verging on an oiliness, though cut with lines of Meyer lemon and gentle, finishing acidity. Quite delicious, and a definite statement.”
The Wine
2020 was a great vintage for textural whites! Lifted with white pear, notes of wet slate and warm spice. Plenty of grapefruit, lime leaf and citrus, with hints of celery and pepper. Textural and spicy at first with a round almost oily mouthfeel, all balanced by lengthy acidity and a white nectarine finish.
Drinking beautifully at release and will continue to develop with bottle age.
Cellar 5-8 years.
Serving temp 9-11C
Alcohol - 13.0% alc/vol
Sugar/GF - Dry/<0.1g/L
Release date - October 23rd 2020
The Winemaking
Harvested 22nd March 2020. 100% NASAA Certified Organic Piccadilly Valley Gruner, hand-picked.
Hand-made at CRFT Carey Gully winery.
50% whole bunch pressed to tank.
The remaining fruit underwent skin contact for 48 hours prior to pressing.
Both batches were then blended for wild fermentation on full solids.
Fermented cool and slow in stainless steel. Part way through fermentation about 25% was transferred to an older neutral French oak barrique for barrel fermentation followed by time of lees.
Total 8 weeks in oak to build texture and complexity without picking up oak flavour.
Some light lees stirring in tank and oak, with partial malo-lactic fermentation.
Bottled June 2020. Vegan friendly.
The Vineyard
The Arranmore Vineyard has been farmed organically since Frewin & Candice took ownership in January 2016 and is now NASAA Certified Organic (February 2019).
Estate-owned, managed and farmed, the 5-acre Arranmore Vineyard planted from 1995-1998, is situated at Carey Gully in the Piccadilly Valley (Adelaide Hills).
Elevation: 545 meters
Aspect: East facing
Planted: Grafted on 20 year old Sauvignon Blanc vines, winter 2017. Cuttings from Geoff Hardy’s K1 vineyard Grüner.
Clone: Elite
Map: -34.969564, 138.760102
Soil: Rich dark loam with clay and gravel mix, quartz and ironstone throughout.