Size & Type
Other
$62
The Applejack Vineyard rests in the cooler Gladysdale area out past Hoddles Creek. Excellent depth and length, with sour cherries, spice, enticing dark fruits. Supper supple tannins, Lovely acid profile, with a hint of stalk, tasty jubes and a lick of something savoury. Delicious! A warming generosity about this wine with more to come in the next few years.
If you want to get your head around the Yarra check out Mac Forbes Map in this Wine Bites Mag Article.
Pic – Steve Flamstead, Winemaker proud as punch in the background.
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“I reckon a really good year for Applejack”, says winemaker Steve Flamsteed, “rain came every ten days and just kind of kept everything very fresh”.
2017 was a textbook cool climate vintage. The preceding winter was cool to cold (good vine dormancy) with good rainfall and ground saturation as the valley moved into spring. The growing season was characterized by intermittent rainfall with otherwise cool to mild days, bright sunshine and importantly, no temperature peaks. As a result, all varieties enjoyed slower ripening where acids, sugar and flavour stayed well in-sync. The resulting wines have terrific structure and detail, underpinned by crisp natural acidity and bright fruit.
Hand-picked without additions.
40% (D2V5 and D5V15 clones) were transferred as whole bunches to small oak and stainless steel open vats. The remainder (MV6 clone) was destemmed and transferred as whole berries to the fermenters.
Fermentations were indigenous and left alone with little cap work, relying upon carbonic maceration for extraction.
Pressed at dryness to new and used 228L tight grain French barriques for 10 months – 25% new, 75% older.
Bottled by gravity with no fining or filtration.
Made without animal products.
Applejack Vineyard was planted in 1997 by highly respected viticulturist Ray Guerin Today it is meticulously managed by his son Mark. Applejack Vineyard is situated in the Upper Yarra Valley, to the south-east of the traditional valley floor. The higher altitudes result in cooler growing conditions – ideal for Pinot Noir. Applejack Vineyard is located on a dramatic, north-east-facing slope with close-planted vines. This vineyard was purchased by Phil Sexton in 2013.
Location: GladysdaleElevation: 300 metres
Aspect: East facing
Size: 29 acres
Planted: 1997
Soil type: Grey / brown clay loam
Significantly deeper colour than prior vintages, likewise depth of fruit; the bouquet and palate are driven by black and red cherry fruit of exceptional generosity but with an unusual touch of dark chocolate.
Acid driven, light and fragrant style, has that sense of sleekness from fine pinot tannins yet is tightly wound, coiled and precise as it rolls through the palate. Red currants, cranberry, smoke and sweet earth to sniff on. Savoury edged red fruit to taste. Balanced, lithe, very finely wrought. Such elegance, and, importantly, incredible sense of energy in the wine. Now we can use the word outstanding.
Where in the world does the magic happen?
336 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville VIC 3777, Australia
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