Late Harvest Viognier

Price: $62 per bottle

Harvested mid-May and slowly fermented over approximately 6 months in stainless steel vats using a strain of yeast isolated from Sauternes that is known to be resistant to high sugar concentrations. The spectacular 100% botrytis viognier grapes were blended with clean aromatic viognier and Gewurztraminer wines to create balance and to help lift the nose. Bottled on 14th July 2017.

Sweet and sour gambas, blue cheese, Moroccan lamb and apricot tagine, Fresh fruit tart with vanilla mascarpone cream, Peking duck.

A very cool, late spring meant a later than average season. Between the early January period until the first day of harvest Hawke’s Bay experienced unusually consistent warm days. In fact, in that approximate 9 week period (63 days), a total of 50 days of that time held a maximum daytime temperature over 25 degrees celsius, which is very rare for the region. Early on flowering was solid, frosts were not prevalent or at least well mitigated. The season, however, seemed unusually slow and late. The wines from this vintage have a delicious immediate drinkability. They are structured but soft and rich and with plenty of body.