Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling

Wonderful balance has been the hallmark of this vineyard since our first vintage in 1979. We achieved low pH and high acid that winemakers dream about. Hanlin Hill Riesling is a delicate, floral wine displaying passionfruit, pear and apple aromas and flavors are backed up by lovely intense lemon-lime with a slatey, mineral dry finish, typical of the Hanlin Hill Vineyard.

Winemaking Notes

The handpicked fruit was transported to the Petaluma Winery in the Piccadilly Valley and processed immediately. The bunches were de-stemmed, the berries gently crushed and chilled to less than 41°F and then pressed in a Willmes tank press. The free run juice was then cold settled in stainless steel tanks, clarifying without filtration. This bright clear juice was then racked into fermentation tanks and inoculated with Petaluma's chosen yeast. Cool fermentation (50 - 55°F) then proceeded over six to seven week and at sugar dryness the wine was chilled in place to 29°F, before a gentle filtration to bottle in June 2008.

Wine Production Stats

Alcohol: 13%
Total Acidity: 6.5g/L
Residual Sugar: 3.5g/L
pH: 2.99

The continuing drought in Australia again played a role in Petaluma's Hanlin Hill Vineyard, planted in 1968. Just enough rain fell at just the right time to allow the old vines to ripen their crop. The vines flowered early, and the whole season from then on was one month in advance of an average season. For only the third time since 1979, we finished picking before the end of February. The vineyard received 3,633°F days of heat in the growing season versus the long term average of 3,223°F days. However, this number was skewed by an intense heat wave in the first two weeks of March, by which time the vineyard had been picked and the juice was safely in tank. To the end of February the accumulated heat was only marginally more than average. The 2008 Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling is the product of a drought vintage, which is becoming the norm. However, wonderful balance has been the hallmark of this vineyard since our first vintage in 1979 and in 2008 we achieved low pH and high acid that winemakers dream about.

91 Points "Savvy Shopper"

Wine Spectator
"This tangy white brims with lemon, pineapple and mayflower flavors, lingering easily on the generous, focused finish. Drink now through 2018."
- Harvey Steiman (2008 vintage)
November 2009

90 Points

Wine Spectator
This is dry, with a white peach note to the lemon and slate flavors, lingering attractively. Drink now through 2017.
- Harvey Steiman (2007 vintage)
November 2007