The Money Spider Roussanne by d’Arenberg is a great example of a very French white wine now produced in Australia.
The first crop of Roussanne from the 2000 vintage was covered in a sea of tiny `Money Spiders` (Erigoninae). Popular belief is that kindness to these little creatures will bring good luck, hopefully in the form of money. Being nature – lovers and slightly superstitious, Chester refrained from sending the spiders to their death. Hence the first release of Roussanne was from the 2001 vintage, by which time the `Money Spiders` had learned their lesson and moved from the vineyard to the surrounding bushland.
This wine is straw yellow with a pretty green hue. It has aromas of citrus, pineapple and honeydew melon. The palate is textural and exotic and tastes of vibrant mango, papaya and green melon. Tangy acidity rounds out the wine beautifully and contributes to a long, spicy finish
Average Winter rainfall followed by a dry, warm Spring ensured that the vines set well, leading to relatively large crop loads. The 2016 Vintage started a few days earlier than ever before due to the dry conditions, but relieving rains arrived in late January/early February, reducing stress for the final stages of ripening. Mild to warm February and March conditions were ideal, slowing sugar accumulation and allowing full flavours to develop.
The earlier harvested fruit achieved fruit ripeness at relatively low Baumes due to the rain event. These wines are bright, spicy and vibrant with a lovely long acid and elegance. As vintage progressed the concentration grew and the colour intensified, resulting in more weighty wines without overripe characters
The Money Spider Roussanne from McLaren Vale is a perfect fusion on Old and New world winemaking.
To see our full range of d’Arenberg product go to https://www.auswinesonline.co.uk/product-category/darenberg/
For more information on the winery go to https://www.darenberg.com.au/
d’Arenberg has a long history of using different varietals and this is another great example.