Main Divide Waipara Valley Gewürztraminer 2025

Description

Apple, Off-dry, Spice

On release it has a bright lemon tint. Delightful perfume soars from the glass, suggestive of lychee, orange blossom and rose oil, along with spicy notes of cinnamon, potpourri and ginger. The wonderfully weighted palate displays excellent focus and drive, imbued with subtle sweetness and a dash of perky acidity, that radiates through the palate, delivering a long and quenching 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.

Settled and very hot weather over flowering delivered a bumper fruit set that necessitated considerable crop thinning. A wet and tepid January was followed by variable weather and a cooler than average autumn. Careful management around pick dates and rigorous bunch selection were essential to ensure fruit arriving at the winery was of the highest quality possible. Although sugar ripeness was retarded, physiological ripeness of the fruit was more advanced, favouring delicately nuanced and charming wine styles.

Picking occurred in late March and early April. After arrival at the winery, the grapes were crushed and left in contact with their skins for a short time to macerate. The juice was then fermented in stainless steel tanks, to preserve varietal integrity. A small portion of the fruit, however, was fermented naturally as whole bunches, then aged in old oak puncheons for approximately 3 months, to add additional complexity and structure.