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Riesling - Duffers Creek 2012

The tasting notes

Riesling - Duffers Creek - Click to purchase

Central Otago's Domain Road Vineyard, near Bannockburn, is sited in a sheltered valley which provides a unique micro-climate, ideal for producing premium wines.

Focusing on the terroir of the vineyard we planted our Riesling vines in the lower region of the vineyard where 19th century gold miners left an area of exposed mineral rich ‘pipe clay’, the remnants of an 8 million year old lake bed.

Duffers Creek is a small creek situated about 20 minutes drive from Domain Road Vineyard on Happy Valley Station. The creek runs into Bannockburn creek and on into Lake Dunstan at Bannockburn. The Crosbie family spent many summers with friends camping here, using an old miners house as a base.

The Wine

The grapes were hand harvested in April 2012, whole bunch pressed before being inoculated with selected wine yeast and fermented in stainless steel tanks. A long, slow, cool, ferment retains the fruit and varietal characteristics of the wine with the fermentation stopped to retain some residual sweetness giving an off-dry style of wine.

Off dry in style our Duffers Creek Riesling is a citrus lovers' delight, displaying aromas of mandarin, honey, and apricot on the nose while tempting the palate with flavours of sweet ripe stone fruit and honeyed citrus. The wine is medium bodied, with a sweetness on the mid- palate balanced with fresh vibrant acidity on the finish.

Enjoy with lightly spiced dishes, seafood or as an aperitif.

Download wine notes here.

Variety 100% Riesling - Duffers Creek
Appellation Central Otago
Sub Region Bannockburn
Ph 3.01
TA 8.3g/l
Alcohol 11
Residual Sugar 19

Raymond Chan - The medium expression is the ‘Duffers Creek’ Riesling 2012 (18.5-/20), and 19.0 g/L RS. The comparison with the dry reveals a softer, more mellow and pillowy wine, with lime, lemon and honey aromas and flavours. There is a little more phenolic presence, and the fruit flavours more matty, and not quite the same definition. This is countered by the greater richness.