Old World craft meets New Zealand terrior in this exceptional Albarino
This wine reveals classic Albarino notes of lime, peach and an assortment of tropical fruits. It is full and rich with mouth-watering acidity providing length and deliciousness with the palate weight enhanced by ageing on yeast lees. It is delicious as a young wine but will gain some complexity with time in the bottle.
Esk Valley sources the grapes it uses to produce its fine wines from two main wine regions in New Zealand - Hawkes Bay and Marlborough. All the fruit that goes to make Esk Valley wines comes either from their own vineyards or from long-term contracts with local growers who are all supported by a dedicated viticultural team. This combination enables Esk Valley to maintain a consistent, high quality. Just behind the old winery lies Esk's famous terraced vineyard, believed to be the first of its kind in New Zealand, with its stunning views over the bay and out to sea; home of the renowned ‘Heipipi The Terraces' wine.
The Albarino plantings are located on the upper of the two gravel river terraces formed by the Ngaruroro River. Two clones of Albarino from both Spain and Portugal are planted, with each providing its own distinctive characteristics. Planted in 2018, these vines are intensively managed and yields kept low in the pursuit of quality wine.
Lightly pressed and settled overnight, the free run juice was run to a mix of large format oak barrels and small tanks for fermentation with both wild and cultured yeast strains. The tank fermented portion was stopped with a small amount of residual sugar to add balance to the final blend. The wine was aged on its full lees with regular stirring until being blended and bottled.
Ideal match for any seafood offering.