The Exception Late Harvest Viognier

VINTAGE 2008

The Exception wines are one-off projects driven by our interest in experimentation. There are risks - limits could be exceeded and the wine destined to be poured down the drain and written-off as part of our education. Yet we feel compelled to try unusual and original projects. Every so often, if we are lucky, the results are truly remarkable and the wine earns the right to be regarded as The Exception.
The 2008 harvest was challenging - huge yields, a massive heat wave and every berry demanding to be picked at once. Late in the season with a winery full to the brim, we decided to leave our exhausted Viognier block to the birds. However, walking amidst the vines and tasting fruit, winemaker Lindsay Brown saw beyond the ugly, motley brown skins to the extraordinary concentration of flavour and sugar. So the block was harvested and pressed, and a low yield of partly fermented, murky juice was chilled to freezing point to preserve natural sugar. Lindsay was right. The Exception 2008 has emerged with lovely golden colour and aromas of apricots and fig. It is luscious and sweet with great length of flavour. This wine will live for decades.

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