2024 Provenance Henty Riesling

Vineyard
This single vineyard wine is grown in the ultra-cool Drumborg sub-region of Henty, in south-west Victoria. It is planted in degraded volcanic buckshot topsoil over a permeable cracking red clay base. 
The vines are VSP trained and grow with moderate vigour. Far enough inland to experience continental-like cool nights, the site is also significantly influenced by the cold mass of the Great Southern Ocean to the south-west.
 
Growing Season
The 2023/2024 growing season started with unseasonal warm weather at the beginning of August. This led to an earlier budburst than is typical.  A poor flowering due to windy and cool conditions led to a lower-than-average fruit set, leading to a small crop. The veraison period in February saw relatively cool conditions until March, when we had a slew of warm weeks, bringing the harvest on in a hurry. The resultant fruit was harvested with excellent concentration and juicy acidity.

Winemaking
Hand-harvested fruit was picked at 12.7 Be with a pH of 2.95. It was chilled overnight prior to being whole bunch pressed to tank. The free-run and pressings juice were kept separate, with the pressings downgraded to another wine. The free-run was settled clean then carefully racked to tank, where it underwent a slow, cool fermentation. The wine was matured in tank on light lees, the aim being to build a subtle creamy weight to match the significant natural acid line. 

Tasting Note
Gorgeously aromatic, the 2024 Provenance Henty Riesling bursts with citrus blossom, fresh apple, fennel and stony minerality. 
The mouth-filling texture and expansive flavours on the palate bring mandarin, grapefruit and juicy apple notes, echoing the aromatics. 
A more rounded and broad expression than previous years, a true reflection of the site and a representation of the season.

This wine will grow in complexity and richness with up to 5 years of cellaring.

Independent Review
Tense, chiselled, lemon pith, verbena, lemongrass, sea spray—this terroir-driven wine is from volcanic buckshot topsoil. Incredibly salty on the palate, waves of minerality alternate with waves of measured texture: not too much nor too little, just right. Lime crusted in salt, Granny Smith apples—a young wine that will unfurl completely over the years. 95 Points
Lisa Cardelli, Wine Pilot - December, 2024