Nose
Nashi pear, hints of cinnamon, lemon curd and blossoms.
Palate
Flavours of nectarines, brioche and jasmine are underpinned and balanced by a firm natural acidity and viscosity on the palate. A fine finish of yet more white fruits, pristine tannin and driving minerality.
Growing Conditions
After an unseasonable dry early Winter, late rains in August and September came to the rescue. Budburst commenced in early August and continued until late September. Significant rain events persisted through to mid-October, with conditions fining up through the flowering period enabling successful flowering and fruit set. Vine growth was excellent and excess vigour issues were dealt with by employing shoot thinning and vine de-legging practices, in a successful attempt to deter regrowth and crowding of fruit zone areas. Harvest began on the 27th January, in line with the earliest picking dates on record, trailing out until completion on the 13th April.
Winemaking
The fruit for our Chardonnay is harvested and pressed as both whole cluster and cold crushed fruit, in order to sculpt wines boasting great length, texture and sophistication, as well as density of fruit and a bold complex palate. The juice is settled cold and racked after 2 days, harvesting only the lightest and most delicate grape solids to further aid in textural and aromatic development. The juice is barrel fermented in roughly 40% new, 30% 2nd fill and 30% 3rd fill French oak barriques. A portion of wine is allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation, to broaden the palate and add additional complexity to both the aromatics and the texture of the wine. The rest is sulphured pre-malolactic fermentation, in order to further preserve fresh fruit aromatics and pure acidity. It is then aged in oak for 9 months and battonaged every two weeks to develop texture and additional palate complexity, after which the wine is removed from barrel, clarified and bottled.
Aging
Up to 8 years, however we enjoy it for freshness now.
Appearance
Green with yellow hints.
