Vinoptima

Link: Vinoptima Estate

In 2000 the original South block was meticulously planted out using bud wood from special clones of Gewurztraminer that Nick had begun selecting and propagating more than 25 years earlier. Since then, as the new vines have started producing, the team has painstakingly evaluated each of the clones at ripeness, fastidiously tasting the berries from hundreds of vines and marking out for special attention those vines that display the best varietal character.

This process has been replicated over several vintages, making selections from selections before taking bud wood from the best vines for further propagation and under-planting of the existing vines. It’s these new plantings that have subsequently gone on to produce the wines that win international aclaim.

The winery was designed by Nick Nobilo with one objective in mind – producing the very best possible Gewurztraminer wine. Every vessel and piece of winemaking equipment has been specified, designed and installed to meet this single objective.

To produce the very best wine has mean't that every stage, from initial bud-set right through to the harvest is carefully monitored by Nick Nobilo. Nick's 40 years of experience governs every tiniest detail and the belief in the superiority of a ‘handcrafted’ wine impacts on every step in the winemaking process. The harvesting and handling of the grapes is done entirely by hand to ensure the precious, ripe bunches arrive undamaged at the winery and in optimum condition for the start of the winemaking process. Each batch of grapes is processed individually and only when the winemaking is complete does the final blending take place.

Vines at Vinoptima, 03 September 2013       Vinoptima Winery, 03 September 2013