NGERINGA ROSÉ 2016

The NGERINGA Rosé is made with Syrah from our three vineyards: Summit, Rufus and Illuma.  The Summit vineyard is planted on an easterly facing slope at 380m above sea level on a soil of sandy loam over clay and with Lake Alexandrina as its backdrop. The Rufus vineyard, by contrast, is westerly facing on the opposing side of the hill with a rocky, red ironstone soil over clay.  The Iluma vineyard, also on a westerly facing slope, is of a sparkling micaceous schist over clay.  All our Syrah vineyards are planted at a density of 6700 vines/ha.

VINTAGE NOTES

2016 was a dry, hot vintage from the outset with only periodic respite. Promising rains in July and August of 2015 gave way quickly to an extremely dry spring and above-average temperatures, with essentially none of the seasonal rains we rely upon from October through much of January. On the bright side, despite conditions at flowering, we had a better-than-ever fruit set that was consistent across all varieties. And then, just as vintage was becoming visible on the horizon, the miracle came: a perfectly-timed, drenching rainstorm hit South Australia on January 21 & 22, refreshing the vines in a way irrigation just cannot match. A second significant rain event in the first few days of February ensured that the vintage was saved. The harvest was very early, beginning in the middle of February, but not nearly as early as it would have been and the fruit was thoroughly revived. The result was higher-than-average yields, good acidity, moderate concentration and balanced, approachable wines. Winegrowing is rarely for the feint of heart!

TASTING NOTES

Cheerful and lifted, this vintage’s Rosé has the bouquet of light, blushed cherries and aromatic mandarin blossoms. Crisp and linear to taste, reminiscent of the structure of freshly sliced grapefruit. But it’s neither a simple nor one-dimensional wine with a fine reductive quality and the complexing flavours of flint and graphite. Goes well beyond mere quaffing.

WINEMAKING NOTES

10% Pink Semillon fermented on skins. 80% Syrah saignée. Fermented in 100% old, seasoned French barrels. Aged for nine months in barrel on full lees.

Wild fermentation, no enzymes, spontaneous malolactic fermentation, gentle extraction, warmer fermentation, minimal temperature control. No fining. Estate bottled. Small amounts of sulphites added before bottling.

(SKU: 1574)