2024 Vanguardist Botanic 'Le Marx' Riesling

From the producer:

NAME: Named with a playful nod to the vineyard’s owner, Ben Marx, "LE MARX" pays tribute to the long-standing friendship between Ben and Michael, who studied Oenology together in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. With the Marx family still deciding on an official
name for the vineyard, we took the liberty of creating our own.
VINEYARD:
Located in a picturesque Clare Valley within the subregion of Polish Hill, the terraced vineyard (top of the property sitting at approx 550m above sea level) is home to vines re-planted in 1985 after Ash Wednesday swept through the Valley. Alluvial gravel with Terra
Rossa over a marbled Polish Hill clay calcareous subsoil.
VINTAGE OVERVIEW:
The 2024 vintage brought both challenges and rewards, resulting in wines with vibrant freshness and intense flavors. A dry winter and early spring led to advance budburst, followed by a wet period that replenished soil moisture before the dry summer and autumn. Riesling ripened early, showcasing classic varietal precision and restraint.
HARVEST & VINIFICATION:
Harvest Date: Hand-picked in the cool morning hours of February 26.
Crushing: Foot-crushed as whole bunches and held cold for 8 hours before pressing.
Fermentation: Roughly racked into a 900L egg-shaped vessel for natural fermentation at temperatures between 10-13°C.
Post-Fermentation: Transferred to a 600L egg with gross lees, where natural malolactic fermentation occurred during the winter months.
Aging: Left on lees for 6 months before being carefully racked and bottled with a minimal addition of sulphur. No fining or filtration was used.
TASTING NOTES:
BOTANIC wines showcase the refinement and complexity of fruit and a clear expression of terroir.
Profile & Structure: Brown lime, grapefruit pith, mineral acidity balanced with a touch of fine tannin. Roundness and mouthfeel coming from lees contact and 100% malo.
Aging: Gracefully for the next decade
Classification: Organic (not certified), Vegan Friendly, Minimal Sulphur, Natural ferments, No acid or other additions.
2024 LE MARX BOTANIC RIESLING
SINGLE SITE: MARX VINEYARD
POLISH HILL, CLARE VALLEY
Closure: AMORIM XPUR 44x24mm
FSO2 at bottling: 8ppm
TSO2: 22ppm
pH: 3.15, TA: 5.8g/L
Alcohol: 11.1%