Riesling - Duffers Creek 2018

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 fruit for our Duffers Creek Riesling was hand harvested from our Domain Road vineyard on 25th March 2018.  The fruit was whole bunch pressed to a stainless steel tank for cold settling for two days before undergoing fermentation. The fermentation was stopped to retain an off-dry sweetness level.

Pale straw in colour our Duffers Creek Riesling provides aromas of orange blossom, grapefruit, melon and apricot on the nose.  These fragrant aromas are complimented by orange, mandarin, pear, grapefruit and lemon on the palate. An off-dry style wine with mid-palate minerality, balanced crisp acidity and a long delicious finish. 

A softer. more mellow wine than our dry Riesling it provides an interesting contrast in styles.  

" Complex bouquet with a mineral-centric beginning, aromas of tangerine and lemon, fresh green apple and white blouses.  Off dry on the palate for just a few seconds then the wine finishes dry. Flavours of apple and citrus with organs and yellow skinned fruits, flowers and more mineral layers. Acidity delivers contrast, texture and mouthfeel. A lovely example for aperitif and food pairing application. Best drinking from purchase through 2029." Cameron Douglas. 

"Drinking well now the 2018 vintage is a fragrant, medium style, hand harvested in two sites. Vaguely honeyed, it has good richness of finely balanced, peachy, citrusy flavours, a gentle splash of sweetness (20grams/litre of residual sugar), balanced acidity and a very harmonious finish." Michael Cooper

Download wine notes here.

Our Wines

• Pinot Noir
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Riesling
• Symposium
• Pinot Gris
• Pinot Noir Rosé
• Chardonnay