Viticulture

This single vineyard wine is produced from just four rows in the heart of the 52-acre, family owned Staete Landt Vineyard. Set in the heart of the renowned Rapaura area of Marlborough, the soils are a mixture of rich loamy riverbed and stony riverbank. These soils are excellent for Viognier, producing intense flavours and robust structure. The vines were planted in 2005 and the four rows happen to be in the hottest spot within the vineyard.

Vintage 2009 began with the perfect budburst and fruit set conditions. It meant we had to reduce crops significantly, to ensure we got the intensity of flavour we were looking for. The summer of ‘09 was an indian summer with a long dry march and very cool nights creating intensity which helped deliver well balanced fruit with clean crisp acidity and rich intense full ripe flavours.

Harvest Dates: 13/04/2009
Brix: 25.6

Winemaking

After handpicking the grapes we carefully whole bunch pressed. The juice was slowly fermented in old French puncheons with a neutral yeast that helps bring out the vibrant, cool climate flavours. After fermentation the wine was left on lees to mature for another six months before being bottled.

This has resulted in an elegant and well structured Viognier with attractive citrus, tropical fruit and mineral notes. The wine was bottled in November 2009.

Wine Analysis

Alcohol: 14.0%; Acidity: 7.3g/L; pH: 3.45; Sugar: 9.7g/L

Tasting Note

White peach, sweet mandarin and a touch of guava fill the nose with soft background notes of toasted coconut and vanilla cream. The palate has a firm oily mouth feel, with grapefruit and rose petal characters, toasty oak and a dash of sweet nectarines. The Staete Landt Viognier combines aromatics and texture for an opulent and full bodied white wine.