|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Mrs. Wigley (1977-1991) was not the wife of Wirra Wirra founder Bob Wigley, but a particular pussycat that was born at the neighboring Petrucci residence. Within days her mum had dragged the litter to settle in the wineries open fermenters, and from then on Mrs. Wigley became a permanent feature of the cellars. Mrs. Wigley Moscato is Wirra Wirra's newest addition to the Wirra Wirra range of wines. This wine had previously spent two years disguised as 'Muscats at Dawn', a Cellar Door Exclusive wine, until making it's debut into the market under the Mrs. Wigley label. This cheeky Moscato is designed to be enjoyed with breakfast, lunch or dinner, good friends and lively conversation. A record 15-day heat wave interrupted perfect vintage conditions, resulting in an extremely condensed harvest. Much of the premium reds were also off the vine with high natural acid due to cool early summer and large canopies. While there were challenges with the sudden ripening, overall 2008 will be a great year for quality. McLaren Vale's favorable climate and geographical factors are internationally recognised as elements that make it one of the more consistent wine grape growing regions of the world. McLaren Vale has a typical Mediterranean climate with the moderating influence of the sea tempering the summer heat and the cold of winter. The climate is characterized by warm summers, moderate winters, winter-dominant rainfall (580-700 mm per annum), low relative humidity and relatively high evaporation. Rain during the harvest period and frost are rare. For the viticulturist this means less likelihood of crop damage from year to year. McLaren Vale has numerous micro-climates within the region, determined by variation in altitude and soil type associated with the various geological formations. This variation provides scope for the winemakers of the region to produce wines of varied and distinctive character. Rainfall is sufficient in some areas to allow dry growing resulting in increased fruit flavor intensity. Where irrigation is used, drip irrigation is favored. There are sufficient sources of good quality underground water and irrigation dams to maintain vine growth, albeit at an added premium in recent years due to the onset of Australia's drought conditions. A cap on the use of ground water has been applied which will limit yields (thus helping overall quality) as well as restricting further expansion of the acreage under vines. May 2010 Classic Series Newsletter (.pdf)
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
