Newton Johnson Albariño 2023

WINEMAKERS TASTING NOTES
An opulent concentration of crisp and complex fruit and redolent white flowers. The pungent base of ripe limes, tangy nectarine and quince fruit is softened with a mealy beeswax character. Drifting scents of apple blossom and honeydew deliver some alluring top notes. The waxy texture envelops the pal ate, succulent fruit in the middle, and the flavour protracted by refreshing acidity in the finish.

Winemaking
The grapes are packed in to large-surface area crates to limit crushing of the bunches. The day’s harvest is cooled down overnight to 8ºC in the winery’s refrigerated cold room. The bunches are hand-sorted on a conveyor, destemmed and crushed, falling directly in to stainless steel tanks where, after 12 hours skin contact, the juice is allowed to drain into lower tanks for settling. The juice is settled overnight (without enzyme) and racked to stainless steel and a large concrete egg vessel for fermentation by indigenous yeasts. No sulphur was added before fermentation.

Maturation & Bottling
Matured for 8 months in stainless steel, a large concrete egg vessel and old wooden foudre. No fining and light filtration before bottling.

Platter’s 94/100
Iberian grape, first commercial bottling in SA. charming glassful with feisty acidity & subtle waxiness, appealing peach fruit & apple skin nuance. Mostly tank & large concrete ‘egg’, only 13% oak, large & old.

Tim Atkin 92/100
This vintage marks the tenth release of an Albariño from the Newton Johnsons, who now have three hectares of the variety in the ground. Very lightly wood in stainless steel, concrete eggs and (for 9% of the blend) an old foudre, it has peach and passion fruit flavours, a hint of appealing bitterness and a stony finish. 2024-26