2009 Estate Reserve Verdelho

Technical Data
pH	3.25
TA (g/l)	6.8
Alc.(%vol)	13.8
RS (g/l)	3.1

Vintage

2008 was a return to what we would classify as a "normal" vintage in Margaret River. After a hot December and January conditions moderated to give us a perfect three months of harvest with no disease in the fruit and no inclement weather.

Varietal Breakdown

90% Verdelho, 10% Other

Winemakers Comments

After machine harvesting the fruit in the cool of night it was immediately processed and underwent a long, slow ferment in stainless steel tanks with a number of selected yest strains. The fermentation was stopped at dryness prior to being blended, stabilised, filtered and bottled in May 2008.

Colour

Pale lemon with a lime hue.

Nose

Beautiful aromatics of guava and pineapple with some citrus blossom coming through.

Palate

A medium bodied wine with a distinct "lusciousness" to the palate. The green tropicals and floral notes on the nose flow through to the palate. The length of this wine is amazing and as with all Verdelhos a slightly high natural acidity gives the wine added zest and crispness. This wine does cellar well and mellows as a result but is perfectly enjoyable whilst young and fresh. Serve well chilled.

Assessment

"I'll go as far as to say that Sandalford are one of the biggest improvers in the Australian wine industry. Theirs is an impressive range with no holes in it, an assessment underlined bu this high quality wine from a grape that only occasionally lends itself to excellence in dry whites. Tropical fruit, bath powder and lemon sherbet nose - attractive and restrained. Crisp tropical and citrus flavours with a minerally edge and a long, citrus pith like finish. The fact I have reached for another glass says a lot about this wine - it's bloody good, and still one of the best examples of the variety made down under."

Grant Dodd, The Winning Pro, August 2008

Awards

• N/A