Chaffey Bros “Kontrapunkt” Eden Valley Kerner 2016

Chaffey Bros “Kontrapunkt” is a little different and undeniably delightful. Kontrapunkt is the first wine Chaffey Bros have made solely out of Kerner grapes and is Australias (and the Southern Hemisphere’s) only 100% varietal Kerner!

Grape Varietals & Region:100% Kerner from the revered Fechner Bros vineyard in the Northern Eden Valley. The Kerner grape is a 1929 cross-breed of Riesling and Vernatsch. Graeme and Michael Fechner brought cuttings to their Eden Valley vineyard in 2001 following a research trip to Germany. This vineyard is adjacent to a Limestone quarry. The vines grow through a layer of clay into Limestone bedrock, which underpins the aromatic impact. The small triangle of Kerner is planted on an ideal east-facing slope. A prevailing breeze here keeps the vineyard dry, which allows for a light-handed approach to disease control.

Taste Profile: Translucent pale yellow colour. Grapefruit, citrus rind, white peach and pear aromas with a herbaceous complexity. Light, clean and crisp, with surprising length and a high acidity. Pleasing bitter grapefruit zest, white stone fruit and chalky minerality with a honey finish.

Winemaking Process: After hand-picking, the Kerner goes through whole-bunch pressing to allow for gentle skin contact only. Fermentation occurs on gross solids in a temperature controlled stainless steel fermenter using a combination of indigenous and selected yeasts to develop and protect delicate aromas. No fining or filtering, making it naturally vegan.