Witches Fall Wild Ferment Verdelho 2012 (Granite Belt, QLD)
12.4%, Screwcap, $30
Source: Sample
www.witchesfalls.com.au

I wrote a treatise on Verdelho some years ago, largely because I think its a much maligned, better-than-workhorse variety that could do with more love than it gets. Here it actually receives some lovin’ (and is all the better for it) from the rather astute Jon Helsop at Witches Falls, who surely must rank amongst QLD’s top tier winemakers.

A product of hand picked fruit, this was crushed to tank and drained into used French oak, where it fermented wild for 20 days and prevented from completing malolactic fermentation.

It smells of yeast and old oak derived richness more than anything else, which would make this very hard to pick blind. The palate is full-but-dry and quite mouthfilling, though again challenging to recognise as a Verdelho. As worked white, however, it is commendably long and carries some white fruit palate intensity, even if I miss the tropical fruit and phenolic chew of Verdelho.

Unquestionably serious wine, from
a not famous region and from a not famous variety. Commendable. 17/20 90/100