Description

2021 is a return to form for the Delatite Hells Window. And Delatite Hells Window is quite a wine. Three highly aromatic varieties Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris are fermented together on skins and aged in large-format oak. Delatite Hells Window goes to bottle without any additions. Delatite Hells Window is an excellent blend of aromatic and savoury notes, with plenty of body and phenolics. I enjoy Delatite Hells Window young and fresh.

Delatite Hells Window Winemaker Notes

“we co-ferment the grapes together so the different skin colours looks amazing in the open top fermenters. Riesling adds the acidity, pinot gris brings colour and texture to the palate, and gewurztraminer adds aromatics. It spends time on skins and is bottled with some residual sugar which allows it to continue to ferment so the wine has a slight sparkle, is a touch cloudy and is dry to taste when you open it.”

Delatite is a family-run vineyard and winery at the base of Mt Buller. Delatite’s main vineyard has been around since 1968 and runs using biodynamic and sustainable viticulture. I’ve been selling their Alsace inspired whites for a long time. The addition of the Yarra Valley range proves their skills stretch beyond aromatic whites.

Upper Goulburn 

Between the Yarra Valley and Strathbogie Ranges, this is a high altitude, cold climate region that is perfect for elegant and aromatic styles of wine.

Riesling

One of the world’s most noble varieties and known transmitter of terroir. Riesling is an important variety of quality wine production. Although it only makes up approximately 4% of the planted area. Find superb Riesling in Germany, Austria, Alsace and Australia. They can be as dry as any wine you’ll taste or super sweet and luscious. See more about Riesling here.

Pinot Gris/Grigio

Gris and Grigio are the same variety, and both names mean grey in French and Italian respectively, which is somewhat deceptive because the grapes can be pink and almost blue when ripe. The great wines of Alsace and North-Eastern Italy often feature Pinot Grigio. It grows all over the world now too. AKA Grauburgunder in Germany.

Gewurztraminer 

Gewurz is a highly aromatic and textural variety. One of those varieties that doesn’t play like the others. It has a tiny picking window, going from perfect to overripe in a matter of days. It is naturally low in acid, and if you try to adjust it up, you get a wine that feels and tastes wrong. But when it all goes well…. ahhhh perfection.

Australian Wine

The invasion of “Sunshine in a bottle” put Australian wine on the map.  The fruity, easy-going, somewhat samey wines were endearing for a short time. Then the next big thing knocked them off their perch.

This forced producers to increase quality and emphasise the distinctive terroirs of Australia. Of which, there are many. And many more yet to be discovered.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is impressive. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

White Wine

It is interesting to know that you can make white wine from almost any grape. The colour comes from the skins, and if there is no contact, there is no colour. White wines tend to be delicate, perfumed, higher in acid and lower in alcohol. It seems for this and many other reasons, it is hard to make an incredibly impressive white wine. But those that have mastered the art are indeed some of the best winemakers in the world.

It is a falsehood to think that white wine does not age as well as red wine. But it is correct that white wine, as a rule, doesn’t age for as long.