This Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer field blend is from the Merkel Vineyard that straddles the ridge (~550m above sea level) running up to Mount Bellevue on a forgotten outpost of Whitlands, scythed off by the erosive action of the mighty Boggy Creek that runs between them. A glorious spot featuring panoramic views of the valleys surrounding it, it is quite the breathtaking vantage point, and a lovely spot to grow grapes.
Panopticon, the all seeing eye, seemed appropriate, not only topographically but philosophically, for this is a wild area of true pioneers with more than their fair share of a rebellious streak. This was a term we first encountered at Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, a site of the incarceration of many an Irish patriot seeking independence, and the scene of the strike of 1923 that would influence so many to come. People making a stand for the future, what an awe-inspiring tale.
So we raise a glass of Panopticon and ponder the people doing their bit to protect some small sense of liberty and all those desperate to stop them.
A complex palate this vintage which fits with the pattern of incredibly diverse expressions year after year for a wine that could be so one dimensional. Lemon curd, paw paw, and apricot danish with a nose of orange blossum and sherbert. Recommended to be drunk cold with tuna sashimi.
