Petit Manseng is native of the Juraçon region in the southwest of France. Here it prospers, with vigorous rambling growth, albeit producing low-yielding vines with pink/blue coloured small, tough-skinned berries. It ripens late, retains excellent acidity, and appears immune to botrytis. Our small planting in the middle of the stony Wairau River valley floor behaves very much as in the Juraçon. We have hung the fruit late into the season (May-June), allowing the grapes to shrivel a little, concentrating the flavours whilst still retaining good acidity.

The grapes were machine harvested in the cool of the morning, cold settled and cool fermented in stainless steel tanks prior to blending and finishing for bottling in spring.

Analysis at bottling

pH 2.9 | TA 8.7 g/l | RS 94/gl | Alcohol 10.5%