Vintage - 2019

Country - Australia

Region - Victoria

Grape Varieties - Viognier 96%, Chardonnay 3%, Sauvignon Blanc 1%

Alcohol by volume - 13%

Bottle - 75cl

Established in 1860, Tahbilk is an historic family-owned winery, renowned for their rare aged Marsanne. The estate has the world’s largest single holding of the varietal and produces Marsanne from vines established in 1927, which are among the oldest in the world. Tahbilk is known as ‘tabilk tabilk’ in the language of the Daungwurrung clans, which translates as the ‘place of many waterholes’. It perfectly describes this premium viticultural landscape, which is located in the Nagambie Lakes region of Central Victoria. The estate comprises 1,214 hectares, including a seven mile frontage to the Goulburn River. Environmental sustainability is paramount at Tahbilk and in 2013 they became carbon neutral. In 2016, Tahbilk was awarded 'Winery of the Year' by James Halliday.

2019 will be remembered as the hottest summer on record. November and December saw higher than average maximum temperatures and 50% more rainfall than average, resulting in terrific growth in the vine canopies. January was exceedingly hot but despite the heat the fruit didn’t ripen as rapidly as anticipated; the vintage started on 19th February, with good depth of fruit.

Tahbilk’s vineyards are grouped along the banks of the Goulburn River and an anabranch of it which flows through the estate. The water has a tempering influence on the climate. The vines are grown at approximately 134 metres elevation of gently undulating and flat terrain. The soils are sandy loam with ferric oxide content, which vary from very fine sand near the anabranch to denser loams on the plains. The Viognier vines are clone HTK and are grafted to Schwarzman rootstocks. They are trained on a single wire trellis with a mixture of head and cordon training and are spur pruned. Tahbilk's vines are sustainably cultivated; composting and mulching takes place which improves soil health by promoting earthworm activity. Mulching helps to control weeds and conserves water, reducing vine stress.

Vinified in a reductive style; without oxygen contact to retain the vibrant, fruity character. The grapes were destemmed, lightly crushed and cooled through a heat exchanger and pressed. The pressings were vinified separately; clarified and fermented with neutral yeasts at low temperatures of 10 to 12°C, fermenting at 0.5 to 1°Baume per day. The wine was made in an unoaked style without malolactic fermentation to preserve its crisp character. It was then protein and cold stabilised, filtered, blended and bottled.

Intense and fragrant rose petal and ginger spice lead a softly textured palate of apricot, peach and honeydew melon characters, lifted by a deliciously zesty acidity on the finish. Perfect with mild, spicy noodle dishes.