For the last two vintages we have upped the percentage of whole clusters to 100%. Now seems like a good time to explain why.
We use whole-clusters when we want to play up the perfume, spice and structure in the finished wine. All good things provided the stems are fully ripe at harvest. Thanks to Vivio’s super-cool climate, we often don’t pick until late October, leaving plenty of time for the grapes, seeds and stems to achieve full physiological ripeness.
Can you taste the difference? 100%. In addition to the blueberries, blackberries and violets that first greet you, you’ll also detect spices like rosemary and clove. These fruits and spices are accompanied by black olives and currants on the tongue and cracked black pepper at the finish. The mouthfeel on this wine is sensational today and will only get racier over time.