Late Harvest Riesling “Meta” Marlborough 2018 Blank Canvas (375ml)

The grapes to produce the Late Harvest Riesling “Meta” Marlborough Blank Canvas were selectively hand-harvested in the vineyard. The fruit was gently whole-bunch pressed with the juice returned to the skins for an overnight maceration to soak up further flavour, sugars and acidity. Upon pressing again the juice was settled naturally and fermented with selected yeast strains in a small stainless steel tank. With minimal intervention throughout, the wine naturally ceased fermentation at around 9.5% alcohol. The wine was racked to French oak puncheons where it spent six months on light lees, followed by gentle filtration before being bottled.

From a single vineyard in the Rapaura sub-region of the Wairau Valley, this small block of Riesling is run meticulously by the Couper family. Cane-pruned and VSP trained, the vineyard was brilliantly situated to deliver perfect noble rot conditions.