2021 Row X Row Wine Notes
2021 Row X Row Riesling
Wine Notes:
The vinification of our Riesling is centred around traditional methods to respect the fruit. The grapes were harvested just after midnight and quickly crushed and drained in the winery with only free run being used. Cold settled for 48 hours the clarified juice was racked, warmed, and inoculated with yeast. A cold fermentation was maintained between 12 and 14℃ for 2 weeks. The ferment was halted with around 2.5g/L residual sugar to help balance the natural acid and is still considered ‘dry’ in style. The wine was stabilised and filtered before being bottled early in May to capture the vibrant fruit character.
Pale green straw in colour the 2021 Riesling is abundantly aromatic on the nose with perfumed jasmine blossom, white nectarine, and lychee fruit. Zesty and lively on the palate, classic lemon/lime flavours are beautifully balanced with underlying minerality and crisp granny smith apple acid. Finely structured this wine is a delight to drink now but will age gracefully for those with patience.
2021 Row X Row Fiano
Wine Notes:
Handpicked in the early hours of the morning, the fruit was crushed and pressed to a stainless-steel tank to limit oxidation and preserve freshness. After settling, the free run, with some solids to help increase texture, was racked to a small tank. The juice was inoculated and fermented dry in 14 days at 12-16 ℃. The wine was left unsulphured on lees for a few weeks before being stabilised and filtered for bottling in June.
Fresh and vibrant on the nose there are lifted aromas of white peach, apricot, and orange zest with hints of white pepper and sumac spice. The palate is an interesting blend of nectarine and nashi pear, citrus blossom, and spicy, nutty nuances. Mouth watering acid keeps the wine in check with the savoury finish leading itself to being appreciated with food.
2021 Row X Row Mataro
Wine Notes:
The Mataro was harvested from the Redwind Vineyard using mainly machine. Some bunches were handpicked to allow for a whole bunch ferment. The fruit was destemmed, not crushed, into 0.5 tonne fermenters and split into 3 treatments – one being cold macerated for 4 days before being warmed for ferment, one having 30% whole bunches added to the bottom of the fermenter and one was fully crushed. All ferments were pressed separately after 2 weeks on skins and put to older oak for malolactic fermentation and maturation. This included hogsheads ranging from 3 to 5 years old. After 15 months the wine was racked out of oak, blended, and bottled with minimal filtration. No other varieties are blended into this wine, so it is a straight Mataro.
On the nose, this wine captivates with its vibrant and lively aromas of wild blackberry and mulberry. The scent of black peppercorn adds a spicy kick, while the presence of aniseed brings a touch of liquorice sweetness. Delicate undertones of dried oregano and clove contribute to the wine's layered aromatic experience. The palate is a solid core of fresh, ripe berries whose sweetness is well balanced by the wine's bright acidity. The mouthfeel is enriched by slightly chewy and mouthcoating tannins, and further exploration reveals savoury, earthy flavours and hints of milk chocolate. This wine offers a delightful combination of vibrant fruitiness, well-integrated tannins, and spicy complexity.
Vintage Notes
This vintage was magnificent with relatively cool days resulting in a drawn-out harvest. Our reward was some of the best fruit in decades - the Shiraz was fruity, the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal and the Grenache stunning, Sugar levels were quite restrained which should lead to some great wines.
Even with good winter and early spring rains average rainfall was down across the region. November was considerably warmer than usual and very dry. This was conducive to good flowering and led to average, to a little above average, crop. With few rain events during the prolonged harvest season, disease pressure remained low. There were only two days above 35 degrees in December and January temperatures were slightly down.
We harvested the first block, several tonnes of Shiraz from Redwind Vineyard, on 17 February. The following day Grenache was picked by hand from the Manjalda Vineyard. On 22 February a small parcel of Shiraz was also handpicked from the Manjalda Vineyard and Block 4 Cabernet Sauvignon from Redwind.
With the continuance of relatively mild weather, another week passed before more Shiraz was taken from Block 6 at Redwind. This block was re-worked in 2019 but the fruit showed all the delicious red berry flavours characteristic of the fruit we had harvested for many seasons earlier. Finally, on 11 March, our Mataro was harvested from Redwind.
The fruit was all high quality with great flavours and balance. It will likely be many years before another vintage is as good as 2021.