2015

Noble Gewürztraminer

Release Price

Drink Window

ABV

3.51

pH

7.66

TA

157

RS

From The Winemaker

The Noble Gewürztraminer is produced from fully ripened gewürztraminer grapes grown
on Archer’s Vineyard. The Archer’s gewürztraminer vineyard, planted in 2002, has been named as a tribute to Alan and Mary Archer of Lenswood and is located high in the central cool-climate Adelaide Hills. The property had previously belonged to Alan and Mary Archer who ran The Chesser Cellar, a dining institution in Adelaide for many years. Alan had previously sold my father Cyril’s wine in Adelaide and Mary grew her produce for the restaurant in her garden on the farm at Lenswood. The ancient well-drained sandy loam soils derived from a sedimentary shale bedrock ensure naturally low-yielding vines and concentrated fruit flavours. The handpicked late harvested fruit had natural botrytis, result- ing in greater complexity and lusciousness. The cool-climate Adelaide Hills provides purity of fruit, beautiful acidity, length of flavour and excellent ageing potential. Serve cold with fresh fruit desserts and cheeses.

Growing Conditions

A traditionally wet winter, mild spring and excellent fruit set provided a great start to the 2015 vintage after four vintages with below average yields. Spring was dry and led into
a very mild, dry summer with no disease, resulting in fruit with higher natural acidity, and incredible flavour and colour concentration. A dry, warm and windy start to January, however, resulted in one of the worst bushfires in the Adelaide Hills in living memory, though well away from our Adelaide Hills vineyards. By the end of the first week, relief came with 60-75mm of rain and a record-breaking coolest January in 11 years. With the onset of veraison at the end of January, the rain was perfectly timed for the old dry-grown vineyards, and the mild weather that followed from February through to April provided for a fairytale vintage. Most of our white varieties were in before Easter, moving on to the Adelaide Hills red varieties soon after, and eventually winding down at the end of April as the rain and cooler temperatures set in. The 2015 vintage has provided classic Adelaide Hills expressions of riesling, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, with varieties such as gewürztraminer showing extraordinary flavour, purity of fruit and acid balance with the potential for excellent ageing.

Nose

Aromas of white rose petals, Turkish delight, citrus and musk stick with hints of candied orange and lavender.

Palate

A luscious palate of peach nectar, Turkish delight and soft, delicate floral flavours; a beautiful balance of sweetness and pure acidity for an appealingly long finish.

Appearance

Pale gold with lime green hues.

Aging

Late harvest gewürztraminer grapes were fermented cool to enhance the floral aromas, delicate flavours and bottled early to retain natural luscious sweetness.

Past Vintages