Wairau River Reserve Marlborough Viognier 2023

Wairau River Reserve Marlborough Viognier 2023This wine displays intense aromas of lime, apricots and marmalade. The palate is rich and full, with powerful fruit weight balanced by fine mineral acidity, resulting in a wine with refined texture and a lingering finish. A dry winter was followed by periods of cooler unsettled weather during f lowering and fruit set, which resulted in reduced numbers of berries per bunch. This combined with a return to the classic dry windy weather Marlborough is

This wine displays intense aromas of lime, apricots and marmalade. The palate is rich and full, with powerful fruit weight balanced by fine mineral acidity, resulting in a wine with refined texture and a lingering finish.  

A dry winter was followed by periods of cooler unsettled weather during f lowering and fruit set, which resulted in reduced numbers of berries per bunch. This combined with a return to the classic dry windy weather Marlborough is renowned for led to a significant reduction in yield from the long-term average.  The ripening period was characterised by long hot days and cool nights which were crucial to retaining vibrant acidity in such a dry year.  Without any significant rainfall events throughout the growing season the viticulture and winemaking teams were afforded the luxury of perfect ripening conditions for the production high quality fruit without any weather or disease concerns.  Targeted irrigation management ensured the vines maintained a healthy canopy throughout, with overall vine health unparalleled,  resulting in wines of intense concentration, balance, and tension. Picking commenced earlier than in previous vintages at the beginning of March, with the fine settled weather continuing through to the end of harvest in mid-April, allowing a more relaxed picking schedule and extended hang-time for later ripening varieties. Certainly, one of the most outstanding vintages we have ever experienced.

Produced from The Angler vineyard on the banks of the Wairau River. The grapes were hand harvested in small bins in the early hours of the morning and returned to the winery. After gentle whole-bunch pressing the juice was fermented in seasoned French oak barriques.  Free run juice was kept separate from the pressings and 80% was  fermented with cultured yeast while the remaining went through  wild fermentation. After ageing in French oak the wine was blended and bottled on the Wairau River Estate.