AMOISE AMBER ALBARIÑO 2023

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"This is a pronounced skin contact iteration of Amphora Albariño with dried apricots, quince & orange rind notes. Appealing phenolic texture with treacle & marmalade, finishing with freshness.

As I was pressing the Albariño, (which had been macerating on skins for two weeks) the 'skins' portion began to turn a bright orange colour. I separated this amber portion into puncheon & barrel. Later down the ageing track the pressings component from the Amphora Albariño announced itself as its own wine. So I paid attention and gave it its own voice.

The whole bunches were hand harvested, de-stemmed and macerated on the skins for two weeks time. A very light daily hand plunge and the addition of my active vineyard starter yeast which fermented underneath the vines. Biodynamic preparations 500, CPP were applied to the soil through out the year, as well as silica quartz (501) to the canopy."

94/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.co.nz, May 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"Using fruit from the Two Terraces vineyard in Hawke’s Bay, and – note – made separately from an ‘Amphora Albarino’ that is also in the range this year – this has a distinct skin-contact “orange” personality. An opaque copper colour in the glass. Vibrantly perfumed, with apricot, satsuma peel, kumquat, peach, marmalade and grapefruit aromas. Tight, with a youthful energy and zesty acidity. A prickle of fruit tannin drags across the tongue. Deepening further into the palate, with root beer, toffee and crushed herbs all popping their heads into view. Crisp, pithy and characterful, this was even better eaten with some oysters on the table. More of this please."