Dash Farms Vineyard, Faraday, Bendigo G.I
A perfumed, chalky and oh so zingy.
Pale and clean golden hue. Intense aromas of crushed rocks, lime juice, lemon pith and rinds, and fresh mint. As inviting as a well-muddled mojito.
Joyful play of soft, ripe fruit—Meyer lemon, apricot, and a big kick of lime juice brings scintillating acidity. The sugar hardly registers, just softening the acidity enough for the balance to be pleasant and relaxed. The texture is fine and talcy, shaped by that frisky acidity and epic drive. Zingy and delicious.
Vineyard
From the western slope of Leanganook or Mt Alexander. Dash Farms, planted N/S, where the Riesling sits 490m up on quartz and feldspar sand, or decomposed granite, planted in the late 1990s.
Winemaking
I have made various wines from this block of grapes in the past—often skin-contact or blended whites. This wine was inspired by Serenity Holmes, who worked with us during the 2022 harvest and has a fabulous passion for Riesling. Serenity now works at Dönnhoff in the Nahe. Fortunately, she was in town the day we harvested the Riesling and made some captain's calls while processing the fruit.
Picked at true flavour ripeness, showing beautiful stone fruits and ripe citrus on the vine. Gently whole bunch pressed and settled thoroughly prior to fermentation in a mixture of Stokinger 600L cask and stainless steel.
The wine was gently encouraged with oxygen during fermentation, which slowed as winter set in. An extended élevage on full lees through until late February 2024, before a rest in stainless prior to bottling. Carrying just under 7 g/L of residual sugar, the wine has seen plenty of sulphur and was sterile filtered.
