2015 Spring Farm Block 18 Riesling
Jim Barry first planted vines on the Spring Farm Farm property in 1977, recognising the importance of cooler, high altitude sites for growing Riesling and refined styles of Shiraz, Cabernet and Malbec. The Barry family has continued to plant vines on this property over the last five decades and value it for its variety of micro climates which enable these diverse varieties to be grown. The Spring Farm wines are released after ten years to highlight the beautiful characters that come to the fore with age.
Block 18 Riesling lies further up the hill and was planted by Jim in 1979. The vineyard blocks sits at an altitude of 497 metres and are located on chocolatey loams over slate, which promotes extended flavour development and structural tension. The stone fruit aromatics and taste characteristics give the site a unique identity, also appreciated by renowned German winemaker Ernst (Erni) Loosen, who selected fruit from this block to make the LoosenBarry Wolta Wolta Dry Riesling. Block 18 Riesling is allowed to age for 10 years before release to reach a perfect state of harmony, viscosity, and minerality. At around 12.5% ABC, it possesses more volume than Block 114 Riesling, but the persistent, crunchy acidity is typical of both 10-year-old-releases.
