2002 Ultima
The 2002 Riesling Ultima is a brilliant pale gold hue, only hinting at what is to come. It shows a lively and luscious mouthfeel with robust characteristics of apricot and honey. A slight presence of botrytis is distinguished on the persistent finish. While descriptors such as decadent and indulgent certainly apply, the Ultimas are always kept in balance with crisp acidity and freshness. Historically these wines only grow in beauty with age. Potential for this wine with cool cellaring is up to twenty years.
Vineyard
To create Ultima, we choose the most perfectly ripe, aromatic grapes fruit from our estate vineyards, primarily Riesling. We freeze the fruit prior to pressing to emulate the ice-wines produced in regions where fruit freezes on the vine.
Winemaking
To produce the Ultima, we press the grapes while frozen, which leaves a portion of the water from the grapes behind. This concentrates the fruit’s sweetness as well as all other flavors and aromatic compounds. The juice is then slow fermented in chilled tanks to protect the lovely honey and floral qualities that make Ultima a prized dessert wine.
Viticultural & Enological Data
- Vine Age 27 years
- Yield 2 tons/acre
- Harvest Sugars 36 Brix
- pH 3.1
- Vatting Whole-cluster pressed frozen grapes cold fermented in small stainless steel tanks.
- Cases Produced 250
