Main Divide Waipara Valley Riesling 2022

Main Divide Waipara Valley Riesling 2022Medium dry style Melon & pear Subtle white pepper Rich & juicy "This is instantly appealing with orange peel, grapefruit, honey and rich floral aromas, leading to a delectably expressed palate that's filled with ripe fruit intensity combined with elegant sweetness and plush texture, finishing long and satisfying" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Dec 2023 "Bright, even, pale yellow. This has a fresh, attractive bouquet with lime, stonefruit, blossom and stony

• Medium-dry style
• Melon & pear
• Subtle white pepper
• Rich & juicy

"This is instantly appealing with orange peel, grapefruit, honey and rich floral aromas, leading to a delectably expressed palate that's filled with ripe fruit intensity combined with elegant sweetness and plush texture, finishing long and satisfying" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Dec 2023

"Bright, even, pale yellow. This has a fresh, attractive bouquet with lime, stonefruit, blossom and stony minerals aromas. Medium-full bodied, medium-dry to taste, lime and lime peels aromas melded with quince, rich white blossom fragrances and crushed rock minerals. Acid tension balanced with juicy sweetness; mineral textured palate drives a focused, long finish. This is a complex, textural Riesling with juicy fruit and balance" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Oct 2023

"An Alsace-style Riesling with weight, richness and complexity. Medium-dry wine with a backbone of ripe acidity restraining sweetness. Vibrant, wine with lime zest, oyster shell, mandarin and orange blossom flavours" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Aug 2023

"Fragrant varietal aromas of lime and lemon, a touch of grapefruit and mandarin then apple. Lifted, ripe and enticing youthful bouquet. An off-dry style with a generous tickle of sweetness which is immediately contrasted by a backbone of acidity. Highlights from the apple and then pear and mandarin, lime-flower and citrus. Young and fleshy textured, juicy and salivating. Well made with best drinking from day of purchase through 2028+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Oct 2023

"White flowers with dried melon and pear. Some white pepper. Fullbodied, sweet and flavourful. Plenty of riesling character" James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, Mar 2023

Upon release its colour is bright lemon. The nose is a zestful medley of quince, lime, citrus blossom, and nectarine, wrapped in a steely mantle of flinty minerality. On the palate there is a lively tension, a rich and juicy mouthfeel balanced with gentle sweetness and a shot of refreshing acidity. Playful, yet full of finesse, the escapade closes with a lasting and piquant finish.

Main Divide is the local name for the Southern Alps and is the backbone of the South Island, where grapes for Main Divide are exclusively sourced. Vineyards have been selected for their quality and ability to express unique regional flavours.

Average weather over flowering resulted in a balanced crop, meaning no further fruit thinning was carried out. This was followed by a cooler than average summer which delayed ripening. Fortunately, a warm dry autumn allowed the grapes to be left on the vines till later in the season, where they were able to achieve the desired level of ripeness.

The grapes were picked in stages during late March and early April. Some parcels were intentionally left to hang until later so they could be harvested with a portion of noble botrytis. The free run juice was then slowly fermented at cool temperatures to help the wine retain its vibrant fruit characters and varietal purity. During this time daily tasting was undertaken to assess levels of acidity, alcohol and residual sweetness, with the fermentation being stopped once the right balance was achieved. Winemaking intervention was intentionally kept to a minimum to allow the vintage, variety, and vineyard to express itself harmoniously. At all stages, from fermentation to bottling, the wine was handled very carefully to help it retain a little of its naturally dissolved carbon dioxide. This may result in a small amount of spritzig when first poured, accentuating the freshness and liveliness of the wine.