Viognier 2022 – Tahbilk

Viognier Tahbilk is vinified in a reductive style; without oxygen contact to retain the vibrant, fruity character. The grapes to produce Viognier Tahbilk were destemmed, lightly crushed and cooled through a heat exchanger and pressed. The pressings were vinified separately; clarified and fermented with neutral yeasts at low temperatures of 10 to 12°C, fermenting at 0.5 to 1°Baume per day. The wine was made in an unoaked style without malolactic fermentation to preserve its crisp character. It was then protein and cold stabilised, filtered, blended and bottled.

Tahbilk’s vineyards are grouped along the banks of the Goulburn River and an anabranch of it which flows through the estate. The water has a tempering influence on the climate. The vines are grown at approximately 134 metres elevation of gently undulating and flat terrain. The soils are sandy loam with ferric oxide content, which vary from very fine sand near the anabranch to denser loams on the plains. The Viognier vines are clone HTK and are grafted to Schwarzman rootstocks. They are trained on a single wire trellis with a mixture of head and cordon training and are spur pruned. Tahbilk’s vines are sustainably cultivated; composting and mulching takes place which improves soil health by promoting earthworm activity. Mulching helps to control weeds and conserves water, reducing vine stress.