2007 Naucratis Lost Slough Vineyard
This is a new Naucratis. It is, as always, a 100% tank-fermented verdelho, but it has no relation to the verdelhos of the Rueda. In 2007, the vineyard produced fruit of great intensity and power, but with none of the graceful, floral lighness of previous years. This year the wine is straight grüner verltliner knock-off. The wine is powerful and somewhat abrupt. It has a beautiful nose of honeysuckle, peach, and wet stones—but it is neither light not delightful. Because of this, it spent much longer in tank than it normally does, with the result that is more firm and muscular, almost clenched—strong and sappy. It preserves its ties with the previous vintages through a lift of sweet flowers over the gravelly minerality, but explodes with a force that is new for this wine.
It is also worth saying that it marks not just an extension, but in hindsight, a departure from the rest of the Naucratis line. This wine has nearly 1% residual sugar. That sweetness is palpable, especially in relation to the the previous and succesive vintages. In relation to the 2008, it tastes supremely Smaragd, but with botrytis and residual sugar. A strange and powerful wine; not as direct and pure as its siblings, and perhpas with too much horsepower.
275 cases produced.