Vasse Felix produce the most exquisite Margaret River Semillon, wines of extraordinary freshness, lifted fruit intensity, elegance and finesse. Vasse Felix make a cane cut dessert style Semillon by slashing the shoots at the base, essentially detaching fruit from the vine. Bunches are then allowed to hang for several weeks, during which time the berries desiccate, concentrating the sugar, flavours and acid. The result is an attractive quince and tropical fruit flavoured wine offering amazing depth of flavour and vitality, seasoned by just a hint of spicy French oak.
Cane Cut Semillon is all about timing and precision, exercising care in the vineyard to create fruit which can ultimately translate into a wine of purity and elegance. Being an early ripening grape, Semillon finds the growing conditions in Margaret River idyllic. Vines will usually compensate for cooler conditions by reducing yield so that every chance is given to obtain optimum ripeness. Given the amount of shrivel in a cane cut grape, yields are precious and extraction rates are very low for this style of wine. Following harvest and the crush, juices are inoculated to select yeasts before vinification in a combination of fermenters, folowed by a judicious term of lees stirring in a mix of French oak barriques. Alcohol 11.0%
Medium straw hues. Intensely fragrant with barley sugar and spice, lovely citrus marmalade notes, gingernut and meringue are seasoned by toasty French oak notes of vanilla and spice. Preserved lemon, tangerine and grapefruit flavours burst onto the palate, a fresh tangy acidity perfectly balancing the rich luscious sweetness. A lovely viscous, silky, creamed honey mouthfeel provides medium bodied richness and texture, finely focused mineral acidity and long luscious finish.
