Astrolabe, Marlborough, New Zealand, Dry Riesling 2008

Tom Stevenson Wine Report 2009:

Her stormer Astrolabe ind på en flot 5. plads over 'Greatest Wine Producers'

Wine makers notes:

Simon Waghorn, Winemaker www.astrolabewines.co.nzVoyage MARLBOROUGH DRY RIESLING2008VARIETY100% RieslingGRAPEGROWERSGrown at the Vita Brevis VineyardLOCALITYWaihopai Valley, Marlborough, NZSPECIFICATIONSAlcohol 13.0%Residual sugar 6.5g/LpH 3.12Titratable Acidity 6.7g/LTASTING NOTESColour/Appearance Pale lemon.Aroma/Bouquet Fresh lime peel, with citrus flower notesPalate Light textured minerally wine with pure citrus, especially lime and a crisp sherbet acidity.Cellaring Will reward careful cellaring, through the development of bottle age complexities. However, the wine isalready drinking well, and should be at peak by late 2009.Suggested Foods A wine excellent as an aperitif before a meal, but also to partner a wide range of food, fromcrayfish and scallops through to pork and spicy Asian food.VITICULTUREClimate A warm mild spring resulted in an ideal flowering and an even fruit set. Extended dry periods during theseason coupled with intermittent rainfall at key times resulted in a perfect canopy and fruit development.Soils Free-draining silty loamVine Management Standard trellis with vertical shoot positioning, pruned to two canes. Vines are trimmed closely,well tucked and lightly leaf plucked.Harvest Date The 4th of April.WINEMAKINGA The fruit was machine harvested in cool evening conditions, de-stemmed and lightly pressed with minimal skincontact to reduce phenolic extraction. Clear, cold-settled juice was fermented in a stainless steel vat at low temperatures,using an aromatic yeast strain to enhance the distinctive flavours.