2017 Loosen Barry Wolta Wolta Riesling

On 17th March 2017, five tonnes of Riesling were harvested from Block 18 (planted in 1979) at our Lodge Hill vineyard to produce the Loosen Barry Wolta Wolta Riesling. It was a week later than normal as we were looking for a greater hangtime. Juice numbers were very good at 12 baumé with a pH of 3.1 and 7.5g/L TA. Fruit was stored in a cold room overnight to bring the temperature below 10C. Once destemmed and crushed, the fruit was pressed into stainless steel for 12 hours to settle, before being racked into the 2,800-litre German oak ‘Fuder’ cask. The light lees were racked which assisted a wild ferment to take place after five days. Fermentation took four weeks with the temperature maintained at 18C. When residual sugar was below 10g/L, cooling was turned on to arrest the fermentation at 6g/L, achieving a good acid-to-sugar balance. The wine then sat on gross ferment lees for 12 months at 10C before spending a further 11 months in stainless steel on fine lees. Alcohol 12.1%; RS 6g/L; TA 6.5g/L.