Vineyard Description

Located in the heart of the renowned Gimblett Gravels, the Omahu Gravels Vineyard is planted on a very stony and dry site, helping to control vine growth and crop levels. Growing Viognier is challenging as this variety responds to minimal crop levels and good canopy management, along with warm temperatures during the growing season to achieve full physiological ripeness. These requirements make the Gimblett Gravels ideal terroir for producing world class Viognier. Careful management of the Omahu site and handpicking at harvest provided for clean and ripe Viognier fruit in 2008.

Winemaking

Following harvest, the grapes were whole bunch crushed and soaked on skins for three hours to extract flavour and aromatics. The juice was then pressed off skins and then went to fine grained French barriques ( with a share of 48 percent new barrels) for fermentation. 58 percent of the blend was allowed to ferment naturally. Post fermentation the wines were left on the lees for six extra months for maturation before being minimally fined out, filtrated and bottled. 50 percent of the blend also underwent malolactic fermentation. 

Winemaker's Comment

Natural fermentation on solids in barrel, malolactic fermentation and battonage have resulted in an intensely varietal and textured wine. Displaying a tight core of complex natural ferment derived characters including flint and meal, surrounded by layers of creamy apricot and nutmeg spice. Grainy in texture, concentrated in style, the wine will develop an oily texture with bottle age.