Harvest

Hand harvested between April 29th and May7th, 2008. Selected clusters only infected with “noble rot”. Whole cluster pressed to tanks.

• Brix: 28.4 - 32

• TA:  9 -10 g/l

• pH: 3.11 – 3.24   

Cellar & Bottling

Racked off gross lees after 48 hours settling. Fermented in stainless steel tanks to ~ 75 g/l Residual Sugar. Chilled. Aged on lees in tank for seven months. Cold stabilised. Sterile filtered.

Bottled on November 6, 2008.   

• RS: 73 g/l

• TA: 8.0  g/l

• pH: 3.20

• Alcohol: 12.9%

Wine

Selectively harvested botrytised clusters were picked after the first Riesling had been harvested. Careful pressing and handling including some time on yeast lees has given us a wine with depth and complexity combined with concentrated flavours of citrus and marmalade and a luscious sweetness.

Growers’ Series: With the 2008 vintage we have introduced a new series of wines. Muddy Water Growers Series will be used for grapes not grown on our estate vineyards which are currently undergoing transition to organic certification.

To ensure quality and uniformity this wine is a single lot, bottled at our vineyard on one day and sealed with a screw cap. Do not expect or accept any bottle variation. We regard bottle variation as an unacceptable “thing of the past”.

Wonderful, unmistakable botrytis aromas of dried apricots and honey, follow on to the intense palate, but there is no suggestion of cloying in this luscious, lively sweet wine.  (****)

Otago Daily Times, Charmian Smith, 16 February 2011


"The 2008 vintage , part of the Growers' Series',  was hand-harvested in Waipara at 28 to 32 brix.  Based solely on 'clusters infected with noble rot', it was tank-fermented with indigenous yeasts and lees-aged for seven months.  It's a sweet (73 grams/litre of residual sugar) but not cloying wine, with rich grapefruit, lime and honey flavours, balanced acidity and strong drink-young appeal.  ****   The 2009, estate grown, was made from hand-picked, botrytised-infected bunches.  Rich and honeyed, it is sweet (77 grams/litre of residual sugar) and crisp, with slight apricot and marmalade notes, a minerally streak and good complexity.  ****

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

"A Waipara winery that could, by making wines like this, achieve the same stature in the wine world as the late American bluesman, Muddy Waters did in msuic. An outstanding sweet Riesling that hits all the right notes. Rich and honeyed. Not sticky - sensational!"

Warren Barton's Christmas wine guide 2009 Top 100 Wines


"A honeyed nose with some floral and lime blossom notes. Palate shows poached Granny Smith apple/apple crumble, almost creme brulee notes. Good intensity and excellent balance with finely tuned acidity, a rich honey and lime finish, not at all cloying. Delicious."

Wine NZ Magazine


"The 2008 Muddy Water Riesling Unplugged has masses of floral, honey and intense ripe citrus and stonefruit, plus a slightly developed creamy note that makes it seem a little more developed than one would expect from the vintage (botrytis influence?). The palate is rich in fruit and sugar and there is good length. Quite a particular style, perhaps best enjoyed as a palate cleanser between main and pudding or
with fresh fruit, but an enjoyable wine nonetheless."

Jane Skelton, January 2010 - Independent Wine Monthly


"What a glorious bouquet this wine has. It’s rich and opulent exhibiting honey, marmalade, dried apricot and nutty characters. The palate is unctuous and sweet (73 g/l) with super smooth texture, rich mouthfeel and crisp acidity balancing the lush sweetness. The rich botrytis influence is brilliantly handled maintaining wine’s balance and structure with lovely grapefruit-like acidity. Simply stunning. 5 Stars out of 5. 94/100 - Outstanding quality showing varietal purity and exemplifying regional type."

Sam Kim, Senior Wine Judge, Wine Orbit