Black Estate Skypunch Viognier 2025

White gold hue. Aromas of melon, lemon pith, peach blossom and cedar. The pallet is soft end enveloping with a fine salivating finish. Flavours of nectarine, baked apricot frangipani and almond meal. Saline and umami flavour length. 

This is an unfiltered wine with small amounts of sediment. Please allow the bottle to stand and settle before pouring. Decanting will allow maximum expression of aroma and purity of fruit to emerge.  Drink now to 2035. Vineyard

The Skypunch Vineyard is located 6 kilometres North East of the Waipara Junction, in the Omihi sub-district of Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. This is a north-northwest facing sedimentary clay fan on a gentle hill side slope, just to the south west of our Home Block.  The soils are mainly Awapuni clay with calcium carbonate deposits. This vineyard is certified Organic and we apply BioDynamic and regenerative practices. The Viognier vineyard is 0.46 hectares. Skypunch is leased by Black Estate and managed by our vineyard team. 

Season

Winter and early spring rainfalls were only moderate but vines started the growing season in spring with adequate soil moisture. Bud burst was 7 to ten days early which meant vulnerability to frosts in mid September and as late as early November. Dry conditions continued until late November when humid overcast conditions became more common until late January. Mild temperatures through veraison allowed gradual even ripening until hand harvesting which commenced on March 31. 

Harvest

Hand harvested on March 31 2025

Harvest of 2.2T of Viognier

Yield = 1.9kg/vine     4.85 T/Ha  Brix 19.2 TA 6.9g/ L   MA 2.5 g/L       pH 3.30

Fermentation

Hand harvested grapes were whole bunch pressed over a 4 hour press cycle.  The juice was settled for 48 hours, then racked to barrel. No additions were made except vineyard derived yeast propagated from a vineyard starter from the Skypunch vineyard. Juice was fermented in three 500L tight grained French casks (5 years old). The wine matured on fermentation lees and went through full malo-lactic fermentation in early spring. The barrels were racked after 12 months and allowed to settle on fine lees for a further 3 months in tank then bottled. No fining or filtration. Contains sulphites. 40ppm Sulphur Dioxide added at bottling.

Bottled on 19 June 2026 

155 dozen (12 x 750ml) cartons were produced. 

R.S 0.9 g/L      TA 5.2 g/L       pH 3.49       Dry extract 23.2g/L     

Alcohol 13.5% VA 0.40 g/L Total Sulphur Dioxide 35 mg/L