Hay Shed Hill|Margaret River|Premium Wines

 

Vintage:	NV
Growing Region:	Margaret River 100%
Grape Varieties:	Muscat 100%

Right at the top of Block 1, the highest part of the vineyard, lies a tiny patch of Muscat vines planted in 1973. These small unirrigated vines face due north and receive the most intense sunlight on the whole property allowing them to produce a small amount of amazingly intense sweet grapes.
is talking about climate change and how it might affect all sorts of endeavours, now I don’t now if climate change has anything to do with it but the last two vintages in Western Australia have been the strangest that anyone can remember. 2006 was the latest and coolest vintage since these sorts of things were recorded whereas 2007 was the complete opposite being a very early vintage.

Perfect spring conditions of clear skies and warm but not hot temperatures meant early and good uniform budburst and good flowering. Although conditions were perfect the crop load was very light – in many cases half than normal. This very light crop load combined with good growing conditions meant that fruit ripening was very fast with many people harvesting in January, unheard of in the South West. A light crop with good sunlight means that the vines had plenty of energy to produce goodies for the grapes; flavour and colour abound across all varieties.

Winemaking

Only The Hay Shed Hill Muscat is a non vintage specific fortified sweet white wine made over many years of barrel aging to produce an intensely sweet concentrated wine. New vintage juice is only partially fermented when it is fortified with the best grape spirit alcohol
leaving the wine rich in natural sugar. This wine is then matured in old French oak barrels. Each batch of wine is blended individually from several vintages of wine extending back many years giving the average age of the wine at around 8 years.

Colour

A deep polished cedar golden brown colour.

Nose

Intensely lifted with heady aromas of fresh raisins with more complex honey, caramel and almond characters.

Palate

A super intense rich and luscious palate of great sweetness and amazing length, complex with layers of rich flavours and a strong warm finish.

These wines are generally considered to be dessert wines, and in most cases will be consumed with rich sweet foods. For a different approach why not try the Hay Shed Hill Muscat as an aperitif before the meal, or at the end of the meal with some blue cheese – yum.

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