Grape Varieties
100% Viognier
Winery
Based in the Awatere to the south east of Marlborough’s Wairau Plains, Yealands Estate encompasses 1,000 hectares of viticultural land (with 500 hectares currently under vine) in the rolling downs of the Awatere Valley, with smaller vineyard blocks near Blenheim. Yealands Estate is the largest vineyard in private ownership in New Zealand and founder Peter Yealands is renowned for his innovative vineyard management techniques and technologies. The winery is Carbon Neutral and the first to be built entirely under the New Zealand Green Building Council's accreditation programme, while the vineyard is sustainably managed. This approach in both the winery and the vineyard is rare in such a large operation.
Winemaker
Tamra Washington
Viticulture
This wine was made exclusively from grapes grown in the Seaview vineyard. Exposed to some of the toughest growing conditions in Marlborough, including high sunshine and wind, cool nights and low rainfall, the berries produced here are small, thick-skinned and intensely flavoured. The rolling contours of the vineyard result in significant variation (smaller, more intensely flavoured fruit on the ridges, balanced by lush fruit in the gullies).
Winemaking & Maturation
The Yealands Estate Viognier 2008 was produced exclusively from fruit grown on a single block. The fruit was hand picked and selected on the basis of its purity of flavour at optimal ripeness. The fruit was whole bunch pressed with the free run juice separated. Post fermentation the wine was left on its lees and stirred regularly for 2 months to enhance texture.
Tasting Note
Light, lemony yellow in colour, the 2008 Viognier has layers of peachy, nectarine perfumes on the nose, with spice and a luscious elegance on the palate. Great length.
