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We haven’t seen this wine since 2021, and it’s been missed! Pete Schell has been working with Clairette for many years, using it as a blending component in the much-loved Lola and occasionally giving in to the urge to make a straight bottling. It’s a fascinating variety that naturally holds its acidity and brings freshness and depth to many a southern Rhône white blend. The fruit is sourced from a single parcel of hardy Clairette vines anchored in the elevated heights of Rowland Flat on the eastern side of the southern Barossa Valley. The fruit ripens slowly, allowing flavour and weight to build while retaining fresh natural acidity.
The grapes were picked by hand, chilled, crushed and left for three hours before being pressed to tank for fermentation. To preserve the wine’s fresh charm, there was no malolactic conversion, and it rested on light lees for 10 months before bottling. The maceration provides gentle grip, beautifully counterbalanced by concentrated flavour and a vibrant finish. Who says the Barossa can’t produce great whites?