Framingham, Marlborough Classic Riesling 2018 Marlborough,

PRODUCER The Framingham label was launched in 1994 with one Riesling, and has since expanded to include , and . Framingham produces from their 19.5 hectare estate (certified organic since 2014) and other selected sites. Their Riesling vines, planted in 1981, are among the oldest in Marlborough. Andrew Brown joined Framingham as head winemaker in January 2020, replacing Dr Andrew Hedley, who resigned from his role after 18 years at the helm. A highly regarded winemaker, Brown previously spent seven years at Framingham as assistant winemaker and understudy to Andrew Hedley before working as consultant in regions including Oregon, Central and . One of Brown's Rieslings won the Champion Riesling Trophy at the New Zealand International Show in 2019; a fitting accolade from someone taking the reins at Framingham, who have always been renowned for their Rieslings.

VINEYARDS Fruit for the Framingham Classic Riesling was sourced from their estate vineyard in the Wairau Valley. The alluvial, well-drained soils of the Wairau were formed by the sedimentation of the Wairau River. In the warm centre of the valley – where there is low rainfall and relatively low frost risk – Framingham are able to controlled yields at desired ripeness. Extensive crop thinning and a degree of leaf plucking are practised when necessary, giving low yields of that have had managed exposure to sunlight.

VINTAGE Spring was wet and mild with no frost in any of the . Summer temperatures stepped up with December being the second warmest on record, while January saw the highest temperatures since records began. By February it was looking like an early harvest, with superb flowering conditions and a sizeable crop necessitating thinning in almost all vineyards. However, two Varieties 100% Riesling ex-tropical cyclones brought considerable rainfall in February. Winemaker Andrew Hedley Harvest started mid-March with grapes at a good level of physiological ripeness but needing careful hand-sorting to Closure Screwcap eliminate botrytis. Despite the rain, fruit was able to hang on the ABV 13% vine to achieve very good ripeness levels. Residual Sugar 14g/L VINIFICATION Acidity 7.1g/L Juices from hand-picked parcels were extracted at low pressures Wine pH 3 over a four hour period, and clarified by cold settling for 2-3 days Notes Vegetarian, Vegan before . Fermentation was conducted in stainless steel tanks with varying degrees of temperature control with some small lots being aged in barrel. The wine was then aged on lees for around eight months, to add texture. After blending, the wine was gently clarified and bottled under screwcap to preserve freshness, flavour and integrity.

TASTING NOTES This wine has a fragrant, complex nose showing mandarin and cream aromas with stonefruit and hints of smoke and minerality. The palate is vibrant and intense with orange, nectarine and cream flavours with zesty acidity.