Filigree Fumé

How often do you get a chance to take on an organically grown, quality parcel of grapes from an Auckland vineyard?
Let me tell you, never! 

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This organically grown Grüner Veltliner pretty much landed in my lap during the 2021 vintage season and I couldn't wait to take on this new challenge. The grower is a passionate, organic farmer up in Matakana and just didn't have the capacity to make any wine that year. I happily took on the challenge and had a vision in my mind that came to fruition finally in the end of 2021 as the bottles came off the bottling line. 

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As is the case with all the Filigree range the focus here was on texture. With a variety that is slowly springing up all across New Zealand and that has similar flavour nuances to Sauvignon Blanc, my inspiration was certainly coming from barrel fermented wines such as Bordeaux blanc and Poully-Fumé. One had to be slightly deft of hand with a more delicately aromatic variety such as Grüner Veltliner so I only did a 15% new oak component, and gentle lees stirring for 4 months. Additionally a 1% carbonic maceration and skin contact ferment had a tiny yet mighty impact on the aromatics and flavours on the palate. 

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Think tobacco leaf, lemon grass and green pear skin on the nose followed by lemon zest, pickled quince, a sprig of thyme and a crack of white pepper on the palate. The new oak quietly supports this aromatic variety by providing silken tannin through the mid palate and finishes with a nuance of smokey, freshly baked, salted brioche. 

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Filigree; (noun) ornamental work of fine (typically gold or silver) wire formed into delicate tracery.  (From Latin filum ‘thread’ + granum ‘seed’).
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An old winemaking friend once said: "wine, like life, is about texture" which in turn influenced my winemaking ever since.

The wines I make are focussed on fine delicate texture, not unlike fine filigree jewellery. The bottles are minimalist in style in order to let the wine shine through in it's own glory.