Harvest

Hand harvested on April 8th and 9th, 2009. Selected fruit only. No botrytis. Hand sorted and whole cluster pressed to tanks.

• Brix: 22.0

• TA: 9.9g/l

• pH: 2.97

Yield was very low but as the fruit was selected we don’t know how low. Any fruit with botrytis was left for our late harvest Unplugged Riesling.

Cellar & Bottling

Fermented in stainless steel tanks with native yeasts until almost dry. Chilled. Sterile filtered. Bottled on July 24th, 2009.

• RS: 5.4 g/l

• TA: 7.5 g/l

• pH: 2.93

• Alcohol: 12.1%

Wine

The growing season of 2008-2009 was characterised by a warm summer dry early summer which gave us a good fruit set and necessitated significant crop reduction. Some early autumn rains meant there was significant botrytis in our Riesling. Our Dry Riesling is always made from fruit without any botrytis so we did a lot of sorting for a small amount of wine.

By hand harvesting and hand sorting our fruit to exclude botrytis, bird damage and over-ripe or under-ripe clusters we are aiming for purity of fruit and focus. The crop level (below Alsace Grand Cru level) and open canopies ensure concentration and lower acid levels (especially lower malic acid), without increasing the pH.

We rarely move our wine and when possible movements are by gravity or pressure to reduce the effect of pumping.

To ensure quality and uniformity this wine is a single batch bottled under a screw cap closure. We regard bottle and batch variation as unacceptable “things of the past”.

Organic – Since 2007 Muddy Water’s estate vineyards have been farmed organically – we will achieve full organic certification in 2010.

This is a stunning beauty, combining elegance, intensity and precision.  It's beautifully aromatic on the nose with lemon/lime, apple and a touch of toasty notes.  The palate is concentrated and tight, yet generously flaboured showing exquisite texture and racy acidity leading to an extremely long delicate finish.  Grapeswere hand-harvested and sorted to ensure there was no botrytis.  At its best now until 2020.

Wine Orbit, Sam Kim, March 2011

A hint of buttered toast with lime and ginger marmalade, this has intense flavours, lovely ripe fruit supported by a backbone of meeral, a steely, crisp, dry finish.

Otago Daily Times, Charmian Smith, 16 February 2011

"The 2009 vintage was hand-harvested at Waipara, hand-sorted  to eliminate botrytis and fermented with indigenous yeasts to near dryness (5.4 grams/litre of residual sugar).  Light lemon/green, it is medium to full-bodied, with highly concentrated, citrusy, limey flavours, very tight and finely poised, and a crisp, lasting finish.  As a prospect for cellaring, it's all there."  *****

Michael Cooper's Buyer's Guide to New Zealand Wines, 2011

"Benchmark stuff.  Ripely scented, medium-bodied wine with a powerful surge of citrusy, limey flavours and a crisp, dry, lasting finish." 

Michael Cooper, 18 December 2010 - Listener


"Nose: Quite complex and inviting with suggestions of grapefruit flesh and pith, Spring flowers and spiced apple fruits. The Waipara soils reflected within the aromatics as well - silty stony notes. Palate: Dry with zesty fruits, kiwi, red apple and citrus pith flavours. A piquant note on the finish completes the wine."

Cameron Douglas, July 2010 - Hospitality Magazine


"Tight and steely with hints of buttered toast and lime marmalade and a zingy, lingering finish. 4 Stars out of 5 - very good wine with some outstanding characteristics."

Charmian Smith, January 2010 - Otago Daily Times


"The 2009 Muddy Water Dry Riesling has a crisp nose with limes, white stonefruit and mandarin peel (slight hint of reduction that dissipates fairly quickly) and some nice mineral/beeswax notes. The palate is lively and fresh, very limey with some underlying nectarine, very dry and firm so may not appeal to all but nicely done. A balanced wine with reasonable length suggesting it should improve in the bottle over the next few years."

Jane Skelton, January 2010 - Independent Wine Monthly


"OK - it's a relative youngster, but this is a fantastic wine, grown organically and hand-harvested in Waipara, North Canterbury. Mouth-wateringly crisp, with flavours of lim cordial, lemonade and a hint of honey. Could be put away from another three years."

Phil Parker, wine critic - April 2010


"Dry Riesling 2008: A delicately fragrant nose displaying lime, fresh apple and chalky mineral characters. The palate is concentrated and beautifully harmonised with fine texture and bright acidity leading to a very long elegant finish. There's a whisper of sweetness (6.6 g/l) yet the wine finishes dry and crisp. A wonderfully structured Riesling with refinement and poise."

Sam Kim, Senior Wine Judge, Wine Orbit


"Dry Riesling 2007: Grapes were hand-harvested and sorted to remove any botrytis before whole-bunch pressed for fermentation. It’s subtle and fine on the nose displaying fresh floral, lime and mineral characters. The palate is dry (6.5 g/l) yet shows excellent ripeness and rounded mouthfeel with bright acidity. It’s well concentrated and structured indicating the wine will evolve slowly in the bottle. Potentially outstanding."

Sam Kim, Senior Wine Judge, Wine Orbit