Winery & Vintage Info
John Vickery is the acknowledged old master of Riesling in Australia, with an illustrious career spanning over fifty years, culminating in the extraordinary awards tally of more than fifty Trophies and over four hundred Gold Medals. The Rieslings he crafted from Watervale (in the Clare Valley) and Eden Valley (in the Barossa) stand tall as the epitome of this most majestic grape variety, each with a unique South Australian and sub-regional thumbprint. Vickery wines are made in collaboration with talented winemaker and family friend Philip Lehmann, so that John’s winemaking methods and knowledge will be preserved and passed on for generations to come, for the benefit of all lovers of classic Australian Riesling.
The 2018 growing season in Eden Valley was successful as per previous years, with Riesling being a standout variety due to surprisingly high natural acids. Winter rainfall was higher than average, with spring and December rainfalls only slightly below average. Higher temperatures in October and November meant that the canopy growth was vigorous, flowering occurred without problems and bunches set well. Very warm temperatures in February slowed ripening with the grapes being picked in mid March.
Fruit for the 2018 vintage was sourced from the Mason and Zander family blocks in Eden Valley. After harvest the grapes were crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks for approximately 40 days. Majority of the blend is free run juice but some pressings are used for flavour during the blending stage. The ferment was kept cool to retain delicate aromatics and low extraction rates on the juices avoided excessive phenolic retention. Malolactic fermentation was avoided to maintain a vibrant and crisp finish. Winery Notes
