Vintage 2005 was early, warm, quick, fantastic quality with good yields – and exhausting. Above average winter rains led into a beautiful spring, with some early November frosts but good flowering weather in late November and early December. Summer was wet and wild, with an amazing roller-coaster of weekly thunderstorms that helped maintain good subsoil moisture. Rains in January were followed by a dry February, and the dry weather continued right through the autumn.

Sweet and floral with nectarine, white currant, citrus blossom and lime zest, complexed with hints of gooseberry and white peach.

The palate is rich, minerally, crisp and zesty with a good structure, depth and length.

Green gold in colour.

Warmer than usual autumnal weather caused an early, compact harvest of above average yields. The late Indian summer lasted into May, well after all the fruit was harvested, at maturity figures, flavour and colour not seen before the 2002 vintage.

The quality of the 2005 vintage is sure to be ranked as one of the best on record, after 2002, with all varieties showing strongly. Once again the signature varieties for Eden Valley, ie, riesling and shiraz, performed brilliantly.

***Stelvin cap***: Bottled under a Stelvin screw cap to capture the freshness and keeping qualities of chardonnay and to protect its purity from cork- influenced off characters.