2006 RUTHERGLEN ESTATES "THE ALLIANCE" MARSANNE VIOGNIER
MARSANNE VIOGNIER
Review
Release Date
Region
Divine Food &Wine
Oct, 2006
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Tasting Notes
“The Alliance” is a blend of 70% Marsanne and 30% Viognier that is a perfect union of varieties that share a common heritage and show a natural affinity for each other. All the fruit is sourced from Rutherglen Estates hillside vineyards. Marsanne provides the fresh, fruity and citrus backbone of the wine, with Viognier adding richness and intensity to both the palate and the nose. Lemon butter, flint and mineral notes are complemented by white blossom and honeysuckle, and some apricot kernel characters. A delicious wine with great freshness, aromatic strength and length of flavor.
Technical Notes
- Wine Analysis:
- Alcohol: 14,5 % by vol.
- Total Acidity: 7,3 g/l
- Residual Sugar: 0,47 g/l
- pH: 3,25
Reviews
Divine Food &Wine
A white blended from Marsanne and Viognier grapes. Rutherglen Estates caught my eye last year with their well crafted, food friendly and European wine styles. The lovely peach, apricot, honey and spice characters of the viognier meld with the drier more savoury features of the Marsanne very well. Try this with roast chicken wrapped in pancetta. Author: Paul Ippolito
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Estate Profile
The history of Rutherglen Estates can be traced back to the late 1800s when the Burgoyne Brothers, who later changed their name to ‘The Rutherglen Estates’, purchased Mt Ophir winery and vineyard operations. Although ownership has changed and the plantings renewed, Rutherglen Estates winery and vineyards essentially re-establish these original holdings.
Rutherglen Estate has a Mean January Temperature and a heat summation of 1770, meaning it is classified as a 'warm' winegrowing region. Its proximity to the nearby Victorian Alps and the continental climate ensures the estate experiences good diurnal temperature fluctuation (warm days and cool nights) which is ideal for premium wine production. With warm, daytime conditions during summer and autumn which are complemented by cool evenings, Rutherglen Estates is one of Australian’s exceptional wine regions to create rich, ripe, indulgent wines, with fine varietal flavours and elegance.
The five Rutherglen vineyard estates enjoy a relatively isolated and pristine natural environment, and the luxury of good water availability via careful management of rainwater catchment, river and bore-water allocations.
The wine styles produced are inspired by the region’s traditional styles combined with its climatic suitability to the classic grape varieties of both France and Italy. For these reasons the Rutherglen Estates vineyards are home to plantings Durif (also known as Petit Syrah), Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Viognier and Marsanne.
The Rutherglen Estates winemaking philosophy is to produce fine, hand crafted wines, utilising the finest of traditional and modern technology, attaining the very best expression of our fruit. We aim to produce exciting wines, consistently offering great quality and value, whilst providing an interesting and rewarding journey for those who choose Rutherglen Estates.
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