Oatley Leonora’s 2013

Grape variety:  Kernling (100%)

Quality status:  English Wine - Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) (Ref: STPDO 10652)

Grape source:  Oatley Vineyard, Cannington, Somerset. Kernling upper block, vines planted 1986, cane-pruned on  90cm-high wires, vertical-shoot-positioned. and Kernling lower block, also planted 1986,  cane-pruned on 150 cm wires, hanging canes.

Awards: 

Silver Medal UKVA Wine of the Year Competition Jul 2015. Citation: “ Powerful nose, fragrant, jasmine, white-currant palate, good fruit and balance, well made.”

Commended Decanter World Wine Awards 2015. Citation:”An energetic palate of pineapples and Granny Smith apple acidity. Light and mineral towards the end.”

Commended International Wine Challenge 2015.

Growing Season:   No spring frost but an exceptionally cool, late spring so grape development was a week to 10 days behind. July was hot and dry, setting the fruit well, Aug continued warm but enough rain to swell the fruit, September warm and mainly dry. The lateness of the season meant relatively low sugars for this latest-of-late varieties but phenolic ripeness was good, with the skins very dark, almost black at harvest on 27th Oct in the warmest spots of the vineyard. By harvest the regular storms that were to be a feature of the autumn and winter had started, with a major storm forecast for the evening of harvest day. A big team made it possible to get the crop in quickly, in sunshine,  and to eat the harvest meal under our outside tent before the storm-proper hit.

Harvest:  27th Oct 2013. (pictured above, blogpost about the day here>>) Sunny spells, reasonably warm (15C), breezy. Grapes, pictured in harvest tubs on the trailer top right, with good phenolic ripeness and in very good condition.

Vinifcation:    Winemaker: Steve Brooksbank, near Shepton Mallet, Som BA4 6SX. Crushing/pressing 28th Oct 2013. Free-run juice: sugar 70 Oechsle, acid 12.5 g/l. Vinified in stainless steel tanks. Bottled 26 Mar 2014 in lighter weight (410g) “autumn leaf” 400g 75cl Burgundy bottles sealed with best quality cork. 2173 bottles made. Labelled with FSC certified Tintoretto paper.

Release Date:   25 November 2014         

Analysis

1. •Alcohol 11.18%
   

2. •Total acidity 6.9 g/l
   

3. •pH 3.44
   

4. •Sugar < 1.0 g/l
   

5. •Total dry extract 18.0 g/l
   

6. •Free sulphur dioxide 26 mg/l
   

7. •Total sulphur dioxide 78 mg/l
   

8. •Copper 0.16 mg/l
   

9. •Iron 0.6 mg/l
   

10. •Yeasts, bacteria, moulds: nil
    

11. •protein stability: stable
    

12. •chill stability: stable
    

Independent post-bottling analysis 16h Apr 2014 by BRI Corkwise Ltd, Coopers Hill Rd, Nutfield, Surrey RH1 4HY