Pewsey Vale 1961 Block Riesling

Pewsey Vale Vineyard 1961 Block Riesling bottle image

Wine Description

The 2017 vintage marks the inaugural release of the Pewsey Vale Vineyard 1961 Block Riesling - a new interpretation of Riesling from this historic vineyard. The 1961 Block comes from the oldest vines at Pewsey Vale.

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Acclaim
“Completely closed off behind its youthful acidity, this wine’s fruit feels gun-metal grey, as if perceptible in texture only. Check on it the next day and you might find hints of white roses and violet pastillesthe wine still super tart. Forget it in the cellar six to eight years.” — Wine & Spirits, Dec 2023
“A cool, voluminous year. Pointed scents of bosc apple, lemon drop, mint, spiced quince and brown pear. As phenolic as it is fresh, this is reminiscent of a structured, gently mid-weighted Alsatian style, more savory and toothsome than the Australian norm. Quite excellent. Old vine vinosity breeds length and a latent forcefulness that never, mercifully, digresses from an elegant, juicy acid trail across the palate. Very fine Australian riesling.” — James Suckling, Dec 2023
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Pewsey Vale Vineyard
Soil composition
grey sandy loam
Elevation:
1,500 feet
Certifying Organizations:
ISO14001; Entwine Australia
Sustainability Certification:
EPA Acredited Sustainability Licence
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
1-4 days on solids before wild yeast start to ferment
Varietal composition:
100% Riesling
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
no
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
bottle
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.16
Acidity:
6.87 g/L
Alcohol:
12.5 %
Residual sugar:
2.5 g/L
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Wine Production

The growing season started with a wet winter and spring, filling up the soils, giving the vines a good start. Spring and early summer temperatures were mild and below average, resulting in a long and even ripening period. These ideal conditions for grape growing allowed us to make optimal picking decisions. The warm and dry days during late summer and autumn, combined with cool nights, lead to pristine fruit flavors and great acid retention. The grapes are hand picked and the juice wild fermented and aged for a few months on lees before bottling and release.

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About the Vineyard

Located in the centre of the amphitheatre on a gentle slope that faces due north and embraces the sun from its first to its last rays, this block is the dress circle of Pewsey Vale. The contours that the vineyard is planted on form natural terraces that maximise the effectiveness of the precious rain when it falls and helps to stop any erosion of the ancient gravel soil. This wine is proof that a healthy biodiverse vineyard needs little winemaking intervention as the grapes and yeast from the vineyard combine perfectly to make this wine.