2017 La Violetta YE-YE Blanc Cult Wine

86% Riesling, 10% Gewürztraminer and 4% Viognier

The riesling at the heart of this blend comes from a vineyard 15 km south-west of Mt Barker. It shows loads of pure floral intensity, a conversation starter with the other varieties that contribute aromatic complexity and textural elements: old vine, dry-grown Gewürz and a splash of Viognier from Perth Hills. Around 15% is  fermented in old oak barrels on solids to round out Riesling’s linearity with some lees-derived gloss, giving context to the structural phenolics. After a shaky start, 2017 turned out to be a brilliant year for aromatic whites in Great Southern, with the mild season bringing exceptional fruit intensity, purity and drive to the wines.

Freshness, balance and aromatic intensity typical of the vintage, with scents of lavender, wet stone and crystalline citrus. The acidity is matched by the depth of fruit, providing a canvas for the complexing textures of mineral phenolics, lees contact and barrel fermentation to disappear within. Fully drinkable this, glass after glass.