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RIPOSTE BY TIM KNAPPSTEIN The Katana Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

While gewürztraminer is naturally high in sugar, the prevailing new world style produces highly aromatic and complex wines with natural fruitiness kept in check with alcohol and acidity. Dry and persistent, gewürztraminers best food pairings happen when you step outside of traditional French cuisine and experience other foods of the world. Asian dishes that incorporate citrus and spice are ideal pairings, such as calamari and green mango salad with chilli. The wine has a pale straw colour with a green hue. The wine has a pungent lifted aroma that springs from the glass. Turkish delight, musk and mandarin juice characters leap from the glass. The palate is much more restrained, showing more subtle versions of the aromas. The wine is dry and has a good clean acid line. The wine has significant persistence.

Very pale with pristine clarity and flashes of green. Nose of passionfruit, gooseberry and freshly squeezed citrus dominate, followed by more subtle grassy, leafy notes and a touch of kafir lime. Wonderfully fresh and showing precise varietal fruits: tangy passionfruit, grapefruit and lemongrass. Long and punchy with great purity, line and a mouth-watering, lime-juice acidity. VineyardsSourced from Jeff Gowers Lenswood Vineyards, the sauvignon blanc plantings on gravelly clay loam over red clay subsoil date back to 1999. Vinification Handpicked grapes were destemmed, crushed and cooled to five degrees Celsius while being transferred to the airbag press. The juice was then pressed into stainless steel tank, keeping the free run and pressings separate. Juice was cold settled for a week at around two degrees and then racked from gross juice lees. The free-run juice parcel was warmed and inoculated with yeast to begin fermentation. Fermentation temperature was kept low to maintain delicate aromatics. Once fermentation was dry the wine was then chilled and stabilised prior to filtration and bottling Wirra Wirra was originally established in 1894 and though abandoned after several decades of production was revived by the late Greg Trott in 1969. The winery produces exceptional value, fruit driven wine styles that dont shy away from ripeness, intensity and oak usage. Wirra Wirra is located approximately four kilometres outside of the township of McLaren Vale in the McLaren Vale wine growing region of South Australia. Wirra Wirra source fruit from estate and selected grower vineyards. Wirra Wirra is the core range but the wines are delineated by tiers including Flagship wines, RGT collection, Church Block, Mrs Wrigley range and the entry level Scrubby Rise wines. The production of these wines is overseen by Chief Winemaker Paul Smith, with able assistance from Tom Ravech and Kelly Wellington. The winery employs modern technology and new world technique to produce expressive wines of intensity, bold flavour and McLaren Vale profile.

Dandelion Vineyards are proven plantings that have stood the test of time. The wish is to nurture the unique character of these vineyards and express their terroir in the wines. “When I see a weed I see the Devil” is an old grower’s mantra, but Dandelion Vineyards encourage the humble Dandelion amongst the vines as they suppress winter weeds, provide mulch in summer, and their Wishing Clocks to blow off in Spring.

Bright Pale Straw with lifted fresh green apple and white stone fruits.Notes of apple and white peach with a clean fresh finish onthe palate. Enjoy with canapes and entrees.

The 2018 Katana Chardonnay reveals a supple core of white stone fruit and citrus blossom overlaid with tempered edges of minerality. On the palate bright varietal fruit is guided to the finish with nuances of French oak and crisp acidity.

From the Adelaide Hills, this Chardonnay shows pure essence of fresh varietal character. Harvested in the cool early hours of the morning with acidity is at its best, its structure and body give a lush creamy texture and lingering finish. Matured in light French oak for 9 months with extra time on lees has given this wine the softness and complexity on the finish. Aromas of nectarine and nashi pear are quite evident. Best paired with mild, buttery or creamy dishes.

Honeydew and brown lime flavours intertwine with a smooth and creamy mid palate. Fine natural acidity give great length and balances the textural oak characters.

Bright straw colour with a watery hue. Lifted ripe peach and honeycomb aromas mix with crème brulee and spice notes. Rich and full the palate is blessed with ripe peach, honeycomb and crème brulee flavours. Some nougat and spice elements lie underneath. A creamy textural feel is counterpointed by measured acidity. Finishes long, ripe and round. Drink over the next 1-2 years. Alc. 12.9%