Louis Latour Agencies

2018 Vintage Update from Seresin Estate

16 May 2018

Seresin’s new winemaker Tamra Kelly-Washington has sent over a report of the 2018 vintage. For more information on Tamra, please see our introductory article here.   

“Overall vintage 2018 has been quite challenging, but with some real bright and inspiring moments within it. The stand out varieties have been Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, with both varietals really benefiting from picking early – retaining stunning, fresh acidity and lovely concentration of flavour.

Within our Sauvignon Blanc family Harry and Lily vineyards have really shone bright, showing ripe, quite intense flavours in the riper spectrum. We have both portions put to bed in puncheons and barrels. I cannot wait to see their evolution over the next 12 months. Marama is looking strong!

The Chardonnays, in particular the clone 15 plots from Sylvain, have an incredible balance and poise about them and, like the Sauvignons, I am curious to see how they develop as we nurture them through fermentation and beyond. I am very relieved that we managed to harvest all plots prior to any adverse conditions taking hold.

We also have some beautiful aromatics. The Chiaroscuro has been created in the field this harvest and is now completing fermentation in old puncheons. This wine will certainly be very integrated and elegant this year.

Pinot Noir has been more challenging for the region this harvest, with some fragility present at times. I must say that this harvest we have really felt the benefits of hand picking and also, using our sorting table. This gave us control over ensuring only the very best bunches made the final cut. We now have a number of small plots and clones through primary fermentation, and I am sensing a real provocative savoury note dancing through the wines, and as with the Chardonnays, poise and elegance, with bucket loads of Pinosity.”