REGION: Barossa
VARIETIES: Marsanne 50%, Roussanne 42% Viognier 8%
Marsanne was sourced from the Marananga region, Roussanne from the Kalimna region and Viognier from Eden Valley.
WINEMAKING: Gentle pressings were combined with free run juice and cold settled.
Fermentation commenced in stainless steel but some of the Marsanne and Viognier finished fermentation in and was aged in barrel until bottled in late August. The remaining Marsanne and the Roussanne was aged on lees in tank until bottling, to enhance the structure and texture of the wine.
OAK MATURATION: 50% aged in fine grain French oak (with only 10% new oak) for 6 months
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Alcohol 12.5%
pH 3.29
TA 5.58g/l
STYLE: My aim with Plexus MVR is to promote a vibrant expression of fruit aromas from the interaction of the three varieties; and on the palate, to build structure and texture, rather than just acid crispness.
VINTAGE: The growing season was characterised by low winter and spring rainfall, which was followed by a hot spell in mid-December. The warm weather continued through January, and was thankfully broken by almost 40mm of rain in late January early February. The timing of this rain was perfect, particularly for a lot of our dry grown vines. Following the rain, the balance of the ripening season comprised warm days, but slightly cooler than average night temperatures, helping the vines to cope with the warm conditions. This February weather was fantastic with Marsanne harvested on Monday 8 February closely followed by Roussanne and Viognier later in March.
TASTING:
Colour: Attractive pale straw
Nose: Aromas of stone fruits, honeysuckle and dried apricot.
Palate: Medium bodied with good texture, dry finish and balanced acidity. Flavours of nectarine, mandarin and pear make for good food pairings with seafood and white meats.
John Duval
