Nose
Lifted citrus and stone fruit drives the nose, with delicate
savoury notes of dried herbs, malt and oyster shell.
Palate
Fresh toast and herbal notes from barrel fermentation persist
onto the palate adding intrguiing flavour and complexity.
Growing Conditions
The season began beautifully, coming through a cool, wet winter into warm
spring. However, storms led to difficult flowering conditions and subsequent
variable fruit set and yield. The weather rallied with a perfect Margaret River
summer. Rainfall in March freshened the grapes beautifully and kicked them
on to achieve full ripeness and ideal balance.
Winemaking
At perfect ripeness, the fruit was selectively handpicked at dawn, then gently
loaded into an airbag press with the juice being continuously tasted to ensure
only the finest quality was used in the blend. All juice went straight into new French oak to wild ferment. This helped
to impart textural and aromatic complexity to the end wine. When each
barrel finished fermentation it was lees stirred fortnightly for nine months
to provide texture and mouthfeel in the end wine. A minimal handling
approach has produced a unique, delicate Chardonnay that will develop great
complexity over time.
Appearance
Pale to mid straw with a fresh green rim.
Food Pairing
Fried lemon & almond coated King George Whiting with crab salad.
