Pewsey Vale The Contours Riesling

Pewsey Vale Contours Riesling bottle image

Wine Description

Pewsey Vale The Contours is characterised by a special site, sensitive vine growing and astute winemaking. The Contours Riesling is produced from old vines farmed on the coolest slope within this ruggedly beautiful single vineyard. Bottle ageing for five years before release transforms this Riesling into a complex wine. More richness and complexity will accumulate over future decades.

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Acclaim
“The 2013 The Contours Riesling is a 10-year museum-release project that is showing lashings of beeswax and marmalade on toast. I don't normally say this, as I love this wine, but it appears that the 2013 is slowing down, with a lightweight palate in the fruit department and a shorter finish than expected. This is usually one of Australia's most reliable museum-release wines, and at circa $40 AUD retail, it represents superb value for money and a neat way to drink perfectly cellared decade-old Riesling.” — Wine Advocate, May 2024
"Pale greenish-gold in color, this wine smells of mandarin orange oil and green apples. In the mouth, brisk flavors of citrus pith, wet chalkboard, and a hint of diesel are all dry and stony, almost austere, with notes of unripe apple and yellow herbs lingering with the wet pavement in the finish. These vines were planted in 1965. Fermented with ambient yeasts.”— Around 8.5 points (out of 10)
— Vinography, Jan 2022
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Vineyard & Production Info
Production area/appellation:
Eden Valley
Vineyard name
Pewsey Vale Vineyard
Soil composition
grey sandy loam
Elevation:
1,500 feet
Harvest time:
February 25-26, 2013
Average Vine Age:
47
Certifying Organizations:
ISO14001; Entwine Australia
Sustainability Certification:
EPA Acredited Sustainability Licence
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
1-4 days on solids before wild yeast start to ferment
Varietal composition:
100% Riesling
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
no
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
bottle
Length of bottle aging:
5 years
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Analytical Data
pH level:
29
Acidity:
6.8 g/L
Alcohol:
12.5 %
Residual sugar:
0.8 g/L
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Wine Production

The Pewsey Vale Contours is managed with Organic and Biodynamic farming principals. In keeping with the nature of BD and natural, less interventionist practices the wines were fermented with the natural or ‘wild’ yeast from the vineyard.

2013 is the first vintage that is Certified Organic and Biodynamic.

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About the Vineyard

Growing season conditions were for the most part dry and warm with below average rainfall. Summer temperatures were slightly above average, combined with lower than average crops. The absence of rain led to a smooth, even vintage at Pewsey Vale, where the Riesling grapes retained both natural acidity and great flavours.