Mt Difficulty Bannockburn Target Gully Riesling 2018 is described by Winemaker Matt Dicey as follows, `A sense of lushness and intrigue; notes of tangerine, apricot and jasmine white florals. Bright and lively nectarine introduces this wine to the palate. A moderate amount of residual sugar (30g/L) has been retained to balance the clean acidity. Poised and cleanly articulated, the phenolics connect the wine together, providing drive and engagement.`
Producer Information
Mt Difficulty Wines is a prominent wine producer in New Zealand’s Central Otago region. The estate has around 40 hectares (100 acres) of some of the oldest vines in Bannockburn, which yield complex fruit – and particularly Pinot Noir, which has brought Mt Difficulty international recognition.The estate was established in the early 1990s, from five newly planted vineyards in the Bannockburn sub-region. Mt Difficulty is named for the mountain that hovers above the vineyards, and counts famous Otago producer Felton Road among its neighbors.Overlooking the Cromwell basin, the Mt Difficulty vineyard has a continental climate with a large diurnal temperature shift. There is little rainfall and humidity in the area, making it an excellent environment to grow not only the thin-skinned, finicky Pinot Noir, but also Pinot Gris, Riesling and Chardonnay.The first vintage of Mt Difficulty was in 1998. In 1999, the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay recieved gold and silver medals, respectively, at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, New Zealand’s most important wine show. This shot the wines to fame, and in 1999, wines made from Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc were added to the portfolio. Riesling was added the following year.
