Riesling
75cl * 12.5% ABV * Barossa Valley, Australia
Dandelion Vineyards is the venture of talented winemaker Elena Brooks, and her husband Zar. Their project makes wines from the Barossa and Eden Valleys, Fleurieu, the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale.
Elena hails from Bulgaria. Her mother worked for a local producer, and so much of Elena’s childhood was spent in a winery. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria’s rich winemaking history attracted visiting winemakers from across the globe. As a result, Elena met many international winemakers visiting her mother's workplace. As the only English speaker, she began interpreting barrel room tastings for these visitors at the age of 12. By 15 she was well-versed in the ins and outs of the winemaking process and by 16 she had made her first wine. After formal study and stints making wine worldwide, Elena eventually settled in McLaren Vale with Zar and founded Dandelion Vineyards.
Dandelion Vineyards source fruit from trusted growers whose plantings have stood the test of time. This Honeypot Roussanne was made entirely from Helen and Mark O’Brien’s remarkable vineyard, situated at an elevation of 267 metres in the Barossa Valley. Vines are 20 years old, planted on sandy loam over ironstone-riddled clay.
Whole bunches of hand tended and hand harvested Roussanne was picked in the cool of early morning. After gentle crushing the free run juice was fermented in a stainless steel tank and bottled a few months later under screw cap to ensure the wine is just as our vineyard produced and winemaker intended.
Where Roussanne is normally disguised alongside Marsanne and Viognier in Rhone blends, this is a pure and clean expression of the varietal. There's very little winemaking too, allowing the delicate notes of chamomile, lemon and apricot to shine through.
On the nose, there's beeswax, mandarin zest, rosemary flowers and green apple, with hints of oyster shell. The palate is crisp and fresh with vibrant acidity that balances the richness and texture of Roussanne. The finish is long and refreshing.