Smidge Wines

Tasting Notes

Shows intense aromas of white peach, zesty citrus peel with subtle talc, lavender and spice. The rich stone fruit characters carry to the palate, supported by subtle spice and minerality and balanced with mouth watering acidity.

Cellaring

The 2006 was made with a slightly more austere in style than the 2005. It is subsequently recommended that the 2004 Smidge Viognier be drunk in the next 4 years The 2005 has been made in a more full and rich style compared to more austere 2004, and although not recognised as an aging variety, this wine will give drinking pleasure for the 4+ years.

Viticulture

This fruit was grown from 8 year old vines, in a single vineyard at Kenton Valley, in the northern end of the Adelaide Hills. The vines are planted in clay / loamy soils and the vineyard also has a moderately steep north westerly aspect, resulting in good afternoon sun exposure. The 2005 / 2006 growing season experienced regular spring and summer rains that developed large helthy canopies that remained so throughout the growing season. Although the rain posed challenges with respect to disease management, the Viognier ripened readily and cleanly.

Vinification & Maturation

The fruit was handpicked and whole bunch pressed in order to reduce the level of phenolics in the juice. The juice was then settled for 24 hours and subsequently racked off gross lees to older French barriques, where the juice was inoculated with yeast and allowed to ferment steadily over a three week period at 16-17oC. When all of the barrels were dry, they were topped and remained on yeast lees for 6 months until bottling. During this maturation period, the lees were stirred once a week for two months. Although malolactic fermentation was not pursued, some activity has been recorded in the past, but not to any significant extent.

Technical Analysis

Harvested - March 2006
Bottled - September 2006
Alcohol - 13.5%