The Courtesan Riesling, Clare Valley 2019

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

Right across South Australia, the 2019 vintage will be remembered as a very challenging one. Very dry conditions persisted throughout the growing season while some areas also had to contend with frost, hail and wind – all of which reduced the crop but helped increase concentration and quality 

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: Bentonite
Vegan: Yes
Vegetarian: Yes