NV Small Fry Tangerine Dream

WINEMAKER: Suzi Hilder and Wayne Ahrens
VARIETY: Semillon, Pedro Ximenes, Riesling, Roussanne.
REGION: Barossa, S.A.
VITICULTURE: Biodynamic

Semillon 73%, Pedro Ximenes 18%, Riesling 7%, Roussanne 2%

A truly devastating frost in spring 2024 meant we had meagre resources to work with from the 2025 harvest. Thankfully we still had 2024 in tank and could blend the 2 vintages in order to maintain the style and diversity of Ken’s vineyard. Really happy with the result, consistency has always been important, and this blend is straight out of the box. Our place is probably the last to have plantings of Pedro, Semillon, and Riesling in the Barossa. We harvest the various components of this wine all through vintage. Earlier picks of select parcels of Semillon for acid, then Riesling, some early picked Pedro and then filling out with more Semillon and Roussanne and finishing with very ripe pedro for that honeyed ginger flavour hit. I have often been surprised at how well this wine holds after opening and this NV is no exception.

Colour: Brilliant yellow orange, a fair bit cloudy.

Aroma: Haystacks and sunlight, talc and lozenge. Some orange rind and ginger notes. Slightly reticent but all of the hallmarks of a personality that once you get it talking will be difficult to shut it up.

Palate: Full and dry, grainy tannin make this the red drinkers white, multilayered, rewards time in the glass. Good length and depth with persistent flavour.

Summary: Orange wine mid strength? Bridges the gap between something like an oaky chardonnay and the more confronting skin contact whites out there.