CIRILLO 1850 Ancestor Vine Semillon, Barossa Valley

This is fun winemaking at it best. A little soak of the juice on skins, a press in the basket press and let the ferment get going. The ferment was stopped by fortification with Brandy Spirit to leave a sweat’ish wine that is now stored in ex Australian Whisky barrels. The wine will continue to evolve the barrel developing complexity from the wood and previous contents. Best fresh from the barrel, it is bottled as required. Each label has the date of bottling hand written on it. This is a single vintage fortified.

This wine is a blend of 79% Sauvignon Blanc, 16% Semillon and 5% Verdelho, and is made from certified biodynamic fruit. Harvested on the fruit and flower days of the biodynamic calendar and fermented without oak, additions of yeast or acid. Some skin contact time before fermentation.

The team at Hay Shed Hill has selected the best vineyard blocks on their Margaret River estate to create the Block Series. The fruit for this wine comes from some of the oldest Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc vines in the region. Full straw with yellow green hue, it presents a plush honeydew melon and warm honey mix with guava and lime juice generosity. The developing palate has a mouth-filling and harmonious mix of lime and melon with deeper traces of tropical fruits and touches of biscuit and honey chiming in on the finish. A complex barrel fermented style and ready to drink.

Kaesler have had their Semillon vines in the ground since 1960, and in that time have made some truly wonderful wines. The now Old Vines produce wine of intensity, focus, character and sheer drinkability. Cut grass and citrus, green apple and lemon curd, it is drinking beautifully now and will improve over the short term.