2007 MadFish Late Harvest Riesling Tasting Notes

The 2005/2006 growing season was a remarkably cool one. Maximum temperatures only rarely got as high as 30°C and in general the nights were relatively warm. The resulting small diurnal range through the growing season lead to very even ripening conditions for riesling fruit. The cool conditions through the year allowed the fruit to develop fine citrus and mineral flavours that Great Southern riesling is famous for. Additionally the lower temperatures meant that the fruit stayed on the vine for one to two weeks longer than is normal leading to greater concentration of flavour in the fruit.

The fruit upon arrival at the winery was immediately processed to ensure the highest quality juice. Free run juice was separated from the pressings which were carefully fined to remove any phenolic character. The juice was cool fermented in stainless steel tanks to maintain the delicate fruit character of the juice. Extensive blending trials were carried out to produce a wine that is a riper than most rieslings, resulting in a wine that is perfect for early consumption.

The wine is a pale straw colour with lively, steely green tinges. The nose has a floral, lavender-like perfume with the more classic Great Southern riesling characters of lime, apple and passionfruit.

The palate shows riper passionfruit flavours, floral tones and a hint of honey. The sweetness of the unfermented sugars is offset by crisp, clean citric acidity to produce a delicate wine with no cloying characters and very good balance.

This style is crafted for immediate enjoyment however the screw-cap closure helps greatly in locking in fruit flavour and will reward careful cellaring for five years.