Torlesse Wines, Waipara New Zealand

Released November 2009.

The grapes are from Waipara grown on the stony terrace sites of our McKenzies Rd vineyard. The actual blend of grapes is Cabernet Sauvignon predominant with Merlot and Cabernet Franc making up the balance. Traditional hand plunging for maximum colour and flavour extraction, extended skin contact prior to pressing, then maturation in barriques for 12 months ensure a quality wine each vintage. The wine is showing the black current and mint of Cabernet, raspberry fruit from the Franc and ripe mulberry of the Merlot fruit on the bouquet. The palate is medium bodied with hints of spicy oak and cedar wood, blackcurrant fruit and mint. These flavours will change with bottle age to the classic cigar box bouquet combining to give a complete mouth feel

2003 Torlesse Cabernet Merlot

Vineyards

• All vineyards are located in Canterbury, north of Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand. The latitude is 43 South.

• The Rayner and McKenzie vineyards are located in Waipara close to the winery. The soils are heavier clay loams and the terrain is gently undulating. The average age of vines varies from 6-22 years.

Wine Making

• All hand harvested in late April and early May

• Harvest brix ranged from 22-25 brix [% sugar]

• Fermentation was in small vessels [1500L] 3 day cool soak, inoculated with yeast, fermentation varies from 4-6 days peaking at 32 C then allowed 7-10 days on skins. Some components were given extended skin contact up to 28 days.

• Pressing was in traditional Basket Press

• Cooperage was a mixture of French barrels ranging in age from new to 6+ years. Duration is approx 12 months

• Malo lactic [ML] fermentation is natural starting in Spring and the wine is racked and has a SO2 addition once ML complete.

• Bottling is through 1 micron filter

Bottle Details

• Alcohol 14.0 % by volume

• Acid is 5.5 gm/L [as tartaric]

• Volatile Acidity is 0.45 gm/L [as acetic]

• Residual Sugar is < 1 gm/L

Winemaker’s Comments

The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were grown on two vineyards in Waipara, on Maggie and Kym Rayner's home block and on the McKenzie’s Weka Terrace lower “hot block”.

The Merlot came primarily from the Weka Terrace Waipara vineyard, with smaller quantities from the Rayner home block. The Cabernet Franc grapes were from the Weka Terrace vineyard.

Grapes were hand harvested in excellent condition at 23 to 24brix. The ratio of Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot is approximately 50:50, with about 3 % as Cabernet Franc to form the traditional “Bordeaux style blend”.

Fermentation involved hand plunging and cap temperatures of 30^oC for maximum colour and flavour extraction. After extended skin contact and pressing, the wine was then matured in French barriques for 24 months The resultant wine is elegant, yet complex and full bodied, showing typical blackcurrant fruit integrated with spicy oak that will develop into the more complex cigar box characters with 3 - 5 years of bottle maturation.

This wine has used the screw top closure to preserve fresh fruit flavours or allow the wine to age gracefully and reach its full potential with no bottle variation.

2004 Torlesse Cabernet Merlot

Vineyards

• All vineyards are located in Canterbury, north of Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand. The latitude is 43 South.

• The Rayner and McKenzie vineyards are located in Waipara close to the winery. The soils are heavier clay loams and the terrain is gently undulating. The average age of vines varies from 6-22 years.

Wine Making

• All hand harvested in late April and early May

• Harvest brix ranged from 22-25 brix [% sugar]

• Fermentation was in small vessels [1500L] 3 day cool soak, inoculated with yeast, fermentation varies from 4-6 days peaking at 32 C then allowed 7-10 days on skins. Some components were given extended skin contact up to 28 days.

• Pressing was in traditional Basket Press

• Cooperage was a mixture of French barrels ranging in age from new to 6+ years. Duration is approx 12 months

• Malo lactic [ML] fermentation is natural starting in Spring and the wine is racked and has a SO2 addition once ML complete.

• Bottling is through 1 micron filter

Bottle Details

• Alcohol 14.5 % by volume

• Acid is 5.5 gm/L [as tartaric]

• Volatile Acidity is 0.45 gm/L [as acetic]

• Residual Sugar is < 1 gm/L

Winemaker’s Comments

The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were grown on two vineyards in Waipara, on Maggie and Kym Rayner's home block and on the McKenzie’s Weka Terrace lower “hot block”.

The Merlot came primarily from the Weka Terrace Waipara vineyard, with smaller quantities from the Rayner home block. The Cabernet Franc grapes were from the Weka Terrace vineyard.

Grapes were hand harvested in excellent condition at 23 to 24brix. The ratio of Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot is approximately 50:50, with about 3 % as Cabernet Franc to form the traditional “Bordeaux style blend”.

Fermentation involved hand plunging and cap temperatures of 30^oC for maximum colour and flavour extraction.

 After extended skin contact and pressing, the wine was then matured in French barriques for 24 months The resultant wine is elegant, yet complex and full bodied, showing typical blackcurrant fruit integrated with spicy oak that will develop into the more complex cigar box characters with 3 - 5 years of bottle maturation. This wine has used the screw top closure to preserve fresh fruit flavours or allow the wine to age gracefully and reach its full potential with no bottle variation.

2006 Torlesse Cabernet Merlot

Vineyards

• All vineyards are located in Waipara, north of Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand. The latitude is 43 South.

• The Rayner and McKenzie vineyards are located in Waipara close to the winery. The Rayner vineyard soils are heavier clay loams and the terrain is gently undulating. The McKenzie vineyard is a free draining terrace site. The average age of vines varies from 8-22 years.

Wine Making

• All hand harvested in late April and early May

• Harvest brix ranged from 22-25 brix [% sugar]

• Fermentation was in small vessels [1500L] 3 day cool soak, inoculated with yeast, fermentation varies from 4-6 days peaking at 32 C then allowed 7-10 days on skins. Some components were given extended skin contact up to 28 days.

• Pressing was in traditional Basket Press

• Cooperage was a mixture of French barrels ranging in age from new to 6+ years. Duration is approx 18 months

• Malo lactic [ML] fermentation is natural starting in Spring and the wine is racked and has a SO2 addition once ML complete.

• Bottling is through 1 micron filter

Bottle Details

• Alcohol 14.3 % by volume

• Acid is 5.1 gm/L [as tartaric]

• Volatile Acidity is 0.45 gm/L

• Residual Sugar is < 1 gm/L

Winemaker’s Comments

The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were grown on two vineyards in Waipara, on Maggie and Kym Rayner's home block and on the McKenzie’s Weka Terrace lower “hot block”.

The Merlot came primarily from the Weka Terrace Waipara vineyard, with smaller quantities from the Rayner home block. The Cabernet Franc grapes were from the Weka Terrace vineyard.

Grapes were hand harvested in excellent condition at 23 to 24brix. The ratio of Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot is approximately 50:50, with about 3 % as Cabernet Franc and 1% Petite Verdot to form a traditional “Bordeaux style blend”.

Fermentation involved hand plunging and cap temperatures of 30^oC for maximum colour and flavour extraction. After extended skin contact and pressing, the wine was then matured in French barriques for 18 months The resultant wine is elegant, yet complex and full bodied, showing typical blackcurrant fruit integrated with spicy oak that will develop into the more complex cigar box characters with 3 - 5 years of bottle maturation. This wine has used the screw top closure to preserve fresh fruit flavours or allow the wine to age gracefully and reach its full potential with no bottle variation.