2017 Riesling
Appellation: Niagara Peninsula
A.B.V: 11.5%
R.S.: 18 g/l
T.A.: 7.8 g/l
Winemaker’s Notes: This was a vintage where everything was turned on its head for us, in the best way. The warm and dry September and October allowed the grapes to ripen and mature, but the acidity remained. We picked by hand and put it in the press without de-stemming. The press cycle was quick and then the wine was put into stainless steel to allow a 24- hour settling before the wine was racked off the sediment. 20L of juice was removed from the tank to warm up and begin a spontaneous yeast culture. After feeding the culture with juice for a few days and letting it get strong, the starter was added back to the tank and fermentation, including malolactic conversion, took 2 months. The wine stayed in the same stainless-steel tank until bottling. We left some sugar behind to balance the fresh acidity.
Sommelier's Notes: The nose on this wine is much more reserved than the previous vintage, but there is depth. Lemon peel, white flower, crushed chalk, and slightly herbal aromas are there. On the palate, the wine is dry, with a touch of sweetness. This wine is very concentrated and will age beautifully. Roasted poultry comes to mind with traditional sides of mashed potato and carrots.