Our Old Vines Riesling is made for those seeking a wine with elegance and a sense of place. Made exclusively from our 1978 Riesling plantings, its purity conveys all that is special about our historic, old vineyard – coupled with our team’s constant pursuit to craft world class wines.
Pale lemon-yellow in the glass, this Riesling opens with delicate aromas of chamomile, kefir lime, and white tea, layered with notes of white peach blossom, and lemon zest, accented by a subtle hint of fresh tennis ball. The palate is vibrant and textured, with pomelo, nectarine, balanced by creamy lemon curd and zesty lime pith, leading to a long, chalky mineral finish. Fresh yet structured, this wine shows great potential for ageing, developing deeper complexity and nuance over time.
WINEMAKER'S NOTES
Our 2022 vintage release showcases all four of our mature Riesling blocks, originally planted in 1978 with Clone 21B. The majority of this wine, however, comes from “Block 5,” a two-acre parcel bordered by ten acres of mature ponderosa pines on its western and northern edges. These towering pines provide shade in the late afternoon and evening, creating dappled light exposure that slows ripening in late summer and early autumn.
Riesling is typically the last variety harvested on our site, as we wait for optimal phenolic ripeness, balanced sugars, and precise acidity. The 2022 OVR was picked on October 14th and 15th. After a cool autumn night on the crush pad, the fruit was gently whole-cluster pressed. Once settled into tank, fermentation proceeded at a steady 11–12°C over approximately 45 days. The winemaking approach remains intentionally simple. As always, after bottling in late winter, the wine rests for two years before release.
95 points - Decanter Magazine, Michaela Morris, October 2024
TECHNICAL INFO
100% Riesling
Alcohol: 13.0%
Residual Sweetness: 7.1 g/L
pH: 2.81
Total Acidity: 10.1 g/L
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VINTAGE NOTES
The 2022 growing season produced some exceptional quality grapes and resulting wines. The winter of 21/22 was harsh, with many vines exhibiting primary bud damage following a cold snap of -26.5 around Christmas. Above average rainfall in May charged the soil with water and gave the vines everything they needed to hit the ground running after a long winter and late bud break.
The rain continued into June meaning no irrigation was needed for the vines until much later than average and allowed the cover crop to flourish. Summer was relatively mild though some hot spells in late July and early August helped push the season along. September and October were perfect for developing flavours in the grapes while not having too much sugar produced. This resulted in beautifully balanced wines with moderate alcohol.
