Nose
Bold aromas of pear, freshly cut peach, roasted cashews and lime juice.
Palate
Nectarines and jasmine laced with pure natural acidity and fleshy textures of white pear. A finely textured palate of grape fruit and ginger provides focus and line to a dense finish of primary fruits and toasty French oak.
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 the Ironstone Chardonnay is hand-picked from the Ironstone Vineyard in the heart of Wilyabrup. The fruit is chilled and whole-cluster pressed to retain freshness and cultivate texture and structure. 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 40% new, 30% 2nd fill and 30% 3rd fill French oak barriques. 66% of the barrels are sulphured pre-malolactic fermentation, in order to further preserve fresh fruit aromatics and pure acidity. The other 33% are allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation, developing both richer, bolder aromatics and textural elements. 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
This is a fresh drink now style, but can be aged for up to 10 years for added complexity.
Appearance
Green with yellow tones.
