2023

Liz Heidenreich 2023 Watervale Grenache Rosé

Vibrant and juicy, with rose petal and white nougat flavours. The finish is lively, long and dry. A perfect apperative.

ALCOHOL

12.2%

BOTTLED

June 2023

ACIDITY

7.4 g/L

P/H

3.31

RESIDUAL SUGAR

2.0 g/L

The

Vines

The Grenache vines were planted in 1926 in the heart of Watervale, Clare Valley. The vineyard, known as the “Fireblock” vineyard has been producing low yielding, dry grown Grenache for many years. These grapes find their home in table red wine, but also have such powerful intensity of flavour that produces vibrant, fresh and delightful Rose wines as well.

The

Vintage

The lead up to the 2023 ripening season saw a very wet winter and spring season.  The spring time temperatures were cooler than normal, leading to later bud burst, and later flowering than average. This in turn lead to a later than normal vintage, with harvest beginning in early March.

With minimal rainfall from end of December until harvest, there was little diseased pressure and the fruit was allowed to slowly and evenly ripen on the vine. The vineyard is dry grown so yields are below average in tonnage.

The

Winemaking

The Grenache was hand picked in late March. It was destemmed and crushed, then passed through the must chiller to burn down to 5 degrees C, and pumped into the membrane press to sit on skins.

After 6 hours, the flavour and colour of the juice was at the desired level, and the fruit was pressed stainless steel tanks for cold settling.

After 7 days of cold settling, the juice was racked with minimal lees pickup, warmed, inoculated with neutral wine yeast and slow, cool ferment took place. The wine was then stabilised, filtered and bottled.