The Courtesan Riesling, Clare Valley 2018

The Courtesan is the epitome of good breeding. Wonderful posture, a delicacy of frame and a fragrance to haunt the most sated of olfactory functions. Behind closed doors though, the Courtesan shocks with its racy charms, flirting outrageously with “come-drink-me” eyes. Don’t be fooled, The Courtesan means business.

Vintage Conditions

Though 2017 was a late, cool and sometimes damp season, it ended with lower than average rainfall for the late season. Above average rainfall in July and August filled soil profiles and dams but from then on the season has been very dry. It is this dry weather that characterised the 2018 season and the low disease pressure coupled with ideal conditions for flowering and early development set the vines up for an excellent season. With virtually no rainfall between January and April, fruit quality in all areas was very good though some heat stress in February led to isolated defoliation. As we like to pick ‘on the way up’ our season began quickly with several varieties ripening at once but then progressed nicely, with the ability to pick when it suited given the settled weather.

Winemaking

Vinification, as one might expect with good fruit, is very simple. The grapes are picked in the cool of the morning and rapidly transported to the winery where they are lightly crushed and sent to press. For the Courtesan, we retain only the purest, free-run juice. The wine is fermented at a cool temperature to retain fruit profile and the finished wine is aged on its lees for 2-3 months before bottling.

Tasting

Capturing all the mouthwatering lime and elderflower character one expects from great Riesling, the Courtesan has a voluptuous palate hinting at grapefruit, ripe melon and quince. 

Alcohol: 12%
Total Acidity: 6.58g/l
pH: 3.13
Residual Sugar: 1.5g/l
SO2: 150mg/l
Fining: -
Vegan: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes