Main Divide Gewurztraminer 2022

On release it has a pale gold hue. A delightful patchwork of sweet and savoury aromas titillate the nose, lychee, mango and Turkish delight at first, segueing into notes of cinnamon, cloves, potpourri, and a lick of ginger. The palate is opulent and plush, with a textured mouthfeel backed by refreshing acidity and subtle sweetness. Pre-ferment skin contact has added some additional structure together with ripe phenolics, balancing the wine and complementing its off-dry, spicy finish.

The vineyard is located within the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on free draining, north facing terraces carved out of New Zealand’s Southern Alps by an ice-age glacier. It benefits from being in the lee of the Teviotdale Range, giving maximum protection from the Pacific’s easterly breezes and thus creating a unique mesoclimate. The vines are over 30 years old, with a large proportion planted on their own roots. The soil is free draining and of low fertility, resulting in naturally reduced vine vigour. This produces low yields of optimally ripened, high quality, flavourful grapes, which fully express the qualities of this unique terroir. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are amongst the coolest in the Waipara Valley, drawing out the ripening period of the grapes, while still retaining good natural acidity.

Picking occurred in mid-April. After arrival at the winery, the grapes were crushed and then left in contact with their skins for a short time to macerate. Following pressing, the juice was transferred into old oak puncheons, where it was left to ferment naturally. The wine was then matured for approximately 3 months in these barrels prior to bottling.

3 months