Brash Higgins 2015 ‘R/SM’ Riesling/Semillon Field Blend
A ‘field blend’ is an ensemble of different grapes from one vineyard block that are picked on the same day and fermented together, thus making a unique wine of place or a ‘vin de terroir’. Our version is from an elevated site along the Kangarilla foothills of McLaren Vale where one acre of Riesling (70%) and Semillon (30%), unusual bedmates, grow cheek by jowl. Picked on the same day, basket-pressed together then co-fermented wild in two trusty barriques, only 720 bottles of this fresh white wine were made from the stellar 2015 vintage.
‘Star bright in colour with a clear straw/green tinge. The nose is like a sea breeze, thanks to the ancient 40 million year old sandy soils, with hints of lime blossom, pineapple, and oyster liquor. A refreshing rush of minerality keeps things taut on the palate; textured layers of salinity and citrus intermingle followed by a laser beam of tangy, margarita pucker. This field blend has all the emerald exuberance of Riesling cut with the lemony flesh of Semillon. A coarse filtration was implemented to retain flavour/texture.’ – Brad Hickey, Vinitor, October 2, 2015.
Additional information:
Harvest date: March 7, 2015 Hand selected
Vineyard: Saddlebags Hill Vnyd, Blewitt Springs
Grower: Adrian Scott
Viticulture: Sustainable
Geology: North Maslin Sands over ironstone
Irrigation: Dry Grown
Altitude: 250 metres above sea level
Planted: 1975 on RWT Trellising
Fermenter type: white Burgundy hogsheads
Time in oak: 7 months
Oak origin: French
Oak age: 100% 6 year
Bottling date: October 2, 2015
Filtration: Coarse pad
Closure: Stelvin +
pH 3.14, TA 7.0g/l, alc 12.6%
60 cases
Price: $37 per bottle, $222 per 6 bottle case