Nose
Chardonnay combines coolclimate flavours with texture and complexity in a wine that is delicate and subtle. The nose is an enticing combination of floral, citrus, and stone fruit aromas supported by a richer savoury note from lees stirring, with hints of smoky, nutty barrel ferment characters providing background complexity.
Palate
The seamless palate is both tightly structured and textured with flavours of citrus fruits, honey melon, a savoury mid-palate and lingering grapefruit. Fine acids suggest some potential to develop in the bottle.
Growing Conditions
The cool growing conditions ripen slowly and evenly with better flavour development at lower sugar levels in the grapes and therefore lower alcohol levels in the wines.The passage of cyclone Steve across the State in late February of the 2000 vintage produced significant rainfall in the South-West in early March. Fortunately, in the pursuit of a more tightly structured allowed the grapes to Chardonnay, a significant proportion of our premium vineyards had harvested their fruit in peak condition.
Winemaking
Select batches of Chardonnay were fermented in about 60% new and 40% one and two year old French barrels. Approximately 25% of the barriques were lees stirred weekly for 10 months, developing savoury textural characters. The remaining barriques were sulphured to preserve their delicate flavour and structure and to restrict the occurrence of malolactic fermentation.
Aging
Medium term, secondary
ageing characters after
five years.
