the money spider
Roussanne 2024
McLaren Vale, Roussanne (100%)
The Name
The first crop of Roussanne from the 2000
vintage was covered in tiny ‘Money Spiders’.
Popular belief is that kindness to these
creatures will bring good luck, so Chester
refrained from sending the spiders to their
death. By the next year the Money Spiders
had relocated, making the first release of
this wine in 2001.
The Vintage
Early winter was wet, but late winter and
spring were dry. Budburst was early, but
mild weather delayed flowering. Late
spring and early summer rain filled the soil
profile for the first time in summer. High
disease and vine vigor required significant
attention. Warm, dry conditions in January
and February favoured quality. Whites show
high quality with good acidity. McLaren
Vale Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon
Blanc were harvested before the March
heatwave, while other whites and reds
benefited from it. Most premium Shiraz and
Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested before
the heatwave and show very good quality.
Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese varieties
thrived, producing excellent wines. Adelaide
Hills had low yields but high quality. Grapes
for Botrytis (Botryotinia fuckeliana) are still
hanging.
Harvest dates
Residual sugar
8 – Apr
4.6g/l
The Winemaking
Small batches of grapes are gently
crushed and transferred to stainless steel
basket presses. Fermentation is long
and moderately cool to retain fresh fruit
characters, and was conducted in stainless
steel tanks. Only free-run juice was used
for the final wine with no malolactic
fermentation.
The Characteristics
A luminous straw hue with a hint of yellow,
this wine reveals elevated aromas of
honeydew, rockmelon, preserved lemon,
and macadamia. The palate is concentrated
with layers of melon, yellow peach, and
macadamia, offering a creamy texture
complemented by a focused acidity that
underscores its dense and powerful profile.
Exemplifying complexity and balance, this
wine is a sophisticated expression of its
varietal

d’Arenberg,

d’Arenberg Trailblazers Money Spider Rousanne 2024 x 12