“Limelight” – Riesling 2023

Something that’s ‘in the limelight’ is the focus of attention – which will certainly be the case with our Riesling! The name hints of its citrus lime top notes and gives an impression of the fresh and luscious fruit flavours beneath.

2023 Vintage

“This medium-dry style entices with aromas of rose petals and orange zest and has a lively palate of citrus fruits with a touch of ginger. Smooth and polished, it leaves a lasting impression.” Olly Masters (Winemaker)

Vintage Notes

Overall, it was an excellent season in Central Otago with warm temperatures and very little rainfall. Early in the season, cool and cloudy weather impacted flowering which had us concerned about the subsequent fruit set but it wasn’t an issue. The warm and settled conditions throughout the season enabled excellent canopy growth. There was much less impact from the usual spring winds and we had some well-timed rain at the end of the season. All these factors resulted in above average berry weights with bunch numbers also high from the previous season’s ideal conditions. This resulted in a record total crop, and whilst positive, the conditions did require an extra level of vineyard management with multiple row passes. Some early rain did give cause for concern, but handpicking allowed us to ensure quality was maintained and this fruit was picked at 7 T/ha and Growing Degree Days (GDDs) were 1167.

Food Match
This style of Riesling is very versatile matching most types of seafood especially shellfish. It’s great with chicken, duck and pork dishes with either creamy or piquant sauces and an ideal wine to serve as an apéritif and with appetizers such as pate, cold meats, salads and mild cheeses. It’s also perfect with Pad Thai!

Details

Winemaking

Another great vintage for our classic example of Central Otago Riesling. As per previous harvests the majority (70%) of the juice, mostly the free run portion, was inoculated and cool fermented (15-17°C) in stainless steel tanks to retain varietal purity. The remaining juice was fermented wild in older French barrels for texture and complexity as it enhances the mineral and flint characters. Ferments were then stopped early by chilling in order to retain appropriate sweetness for this medium dry style (RS 28g/L) and therefore also a lower alcohol.