2022 - Freyja - Semillon

Semillon from the 9 Southernmost rows on the block. We began rehabilitating these rows during the pruning season of 2020 and this wine is made up of the first crop from these rows. We picked across two days in mid-January (15th and 17th), slightly later than we have picked Semillon in the previous two years, due mainly to some extreme heat events in our neck of the Valley. Instead of cooking on the vine in such extreme conditions the fruit retained fairly consistent acid, developed sugar quite slowly, and crept toward the desired flavour window. 

Crushed and pressed on January 18th directly to stainless, the skins providing the juice with an electric green hue. Three days later ~400lt of the wild fermenting juice was transferred to two seasoned Ex-Cullen biodynamic Burgundy barriques. The Stainless and Oak portions proceeded through ferment at different rates, the former powering through and becoming dry in about two weeks, the latter ticked along throughout winter élevage. The barriques were topped from the tank at the end of February, and allowed to rest for six months with the occasional battonage. The tank was sealed, and not cracked until racking in August. By that time it had developed a healthy flor coverage.