Spring was mild leading to the buds bursting early. The weather then became cooler and remained like this over much of the summer, ensuring good retention of natural acidity. There followed the most amazing Indian summer with an incredibly warm, dry, long autumn, ensuring the fruit was beautifully ripe and healthy. It was an exceptionally late harvest. It did not start until mid-May and the final grapes were not brought in until June.

Pickers moved throughout the vineyard on 3-4 occasions, selecting only the best grapes and then waiting for 5-7 days before making a further pass. In this way we were able to harvest each bunch in optimum condition. The dry autumn meant that there was not as much botrytis as in some years, but natural shrinkage of the ripe berries resulted in splendid concentration of flavours, sugars, acids and other grape components, while retaining a focus of pure riesling character.

After harvest the grapes were gently pressed and the resulting juice fermented at a cool temperature to help retain its exciting aromas and flavours. It was allowed to mature in tank until the following summer before being bottled.

The wine evokes memories of exotic fruits, including limes, lychees, rock melon, mangoes and paw-paw, intertwined with tropical spices. These flavours expand in the mouth, giving a voluptuous fleshy mid-palate.

While the wine is lusciously sweet, it has just the right amount of acid to bring it into balance. Although ready to drink on release, it should reward careful cellaring, becoming increasingly complex over the next 5-7 years and living beyond a decade.

Wine is a natural health food.