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Tasting description
This Riesling has a bright, very pale colour with a touch of green and gold. The nose shows a floral aromatic quality with a background of ripe Granny Smith apples. The palate starts medium-dry with a floral pear and apple blossom character, finishing crisp and apple-like with good length of flavour. This wine will develop very well in the bottle over the next two to five years.
Winemaking
The grapes for this Riesling were whole-bunch pressed, with the free run and pressings kept separate. We allowed cool settling for 24 hours only, to retain some cloudiness in the juice. This has given the wine good texture. It was then cool fermented using aromatic yeast. The ferment was stopped when we achieved a fine balance of acids and sugar. The wine was then chilled, settled and racked to be aged on light yeast lees for six months.
Analysis at bottling: Alcohol 12.0% TA = 7.1 g/L RS = 11.5 g/L pH = 3.1
Vintage
Our first Cheviot Hills vintage, 2007, was excellent. After a good growing season, the weather was warm and dry during the day and cool at night. Shoot thinning helped us to achieve good flowering and good fruit set from our young vines. During the growing season, we leaf plucked to allow some fruit exposure, but retained a layer of leaves over the fruit protecting them from direct sunlight and maintain aromatic intensity. Continuing warm weather allowed us to hand pick the fruit in excellent condition. Picking was completed on 19th April.
Food match
Mt Beautiful Riesling 2007 is best enjoyed as an aperitif, or with delicate Asian food.
REVIEWS FOR THIS WINE
North Canterbury and Riesling make natural bedmates. This fresh new
floral Riesling gives yet another hint of the potential of this southern
New Zealand wine region to produce stunning Rieslings. Light in taste
and body, this wine should be lightly chilled and enjoyed with aromatic
Thai-style seafood.
Joelle Thomson, Mindfood, 1 Jan 2009
Lean and refined like a Riesling should be. Not bone dry but with just
the right hint of grape sweetness to offset the typical Riesling
tartness. I like this wine… Time will tell but I have ordered a case.
Barnett Bond, NZ Doctor, 19 Nov 2008
Light and lively, with lemony, slightly appley and spicey flavours,
showing excellent delicacy and intensity.
Michael Cooper, NZ Listener, 8 Nov 2008
Clear, vibrant appearance followed by aromas of white flowers, sweet
apple and a hint of tinned pineapple. The palate is equally vibrant with
a delicious spiced acidity – the fresh apple and pineapple flavours
give this wine an attractive edge. Off dry with some residual sugar,
well balanced and even more delicious with scallops.
Cameron Douglas MS, Hospitality, 8 Nov 2008
Herbs, lemongrass and lime on the nose – very pretty. The very crisp acidity is nicely balanced by the residual sugar, making this wine appear drier than it is. Long, purely fruited finish.
Drink now – 2011.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, eRobertParker.com, 27 Oct 2008
Floral and delicate, with lime and apple aromas and flavours, plus a
hint of honey, it is medium-dry, balanced with soft acidity.
Graeme Barrow, Wanganui Chronicle, 25 Oct 2008
This grape makes up a fraction of Mt Beautiful’s plantings, but Weaver
loves it and knows how to treat it. It’s got alluring florals on the
nose, is soft and long but lively on the palate, with a little sweetness
but a refreshingly dry mouthfeel. Literally a star is born for riesling
lovers.
Nick Bryant, The Independent Financial Review, 9 Oct 2008
Other Vintages
Mt Beautiful Cheviot Hills Riesling 2009 (currently available)
Mt Beautiful Cheviot Hills Riesling 2008 (on allocation)
