Bilancia
Uvaggio 2021 750ml

uvaggio Italian (u-vàg-gio) field blend/field wine

….where grape varieties are growing in the same vineyard. “...a grape blend prior to fermentation.”

From la collina vineyard, where eight rows of interplanted Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne are hand-harvested and the breakdown is measured (approximately) in picking buckets. These eight rows are all that remain of the original Viognier vines planted in 2001.  Over half the vines needed to be replaced in 2017 and the spaces between the remaining vines were replanted with Marsanne and Roussanne.

The fruit is 100% hand-picked, whole bunch pressed to old French oak barriques for fermentation. The wine remained in these barrels for 11 months prior to removal for bottling.

Like the 2020, the 2021 Uvaggio is again Viognier dominant by variety. Over the years, as the Marsanne and Roussanne vines age the varietal mix will change each vintage, depending on how each variety likes the vintage!

The wine shows the strength of characters of the blend. Floral, perfumed aromatics from Viognier tempered by the honeysuckle fruit character of the Marsanne and white flowers of Roussanne. The palate has lush, floral fullness together with deep set acidity giving both length and weight. As the wine ages the flavour profile will oscillate through the different varietal characters. The aim of a field blend is to make a wine whose sum is greater than the individual parts.

This wine is ready to drink on release and will continue to develop positively for 6 – 8 years.