Nose
On the nose Ginger spice, nectarine and beeswax leap from the glass, complemented by complex barrel ferment notes of roasted almonds and struck match.
Palate
The palate is creamy, yet refreshing with a mealy texture. White peach and pink grapefruit abound, as well as freshly baked pastry notes. A true reflection of place and season, this Chardonnay pays homage to our farming and winemaking philosophy.
Growing Conditions
The season started out with a cooler, wet spring which resulted in a lower fruit set for some varieties such as Chardonnay. We experienced above average rainfalls in early spring, meaning extra effort was required in our organically grown vineyards to mitigate disease pressure. Spring rolled into summer with long warm and dry days, however a couple of rain events in February and March required extra effort from our committed vineyard team in terms of canopy management and fruit selection at harvest. All white varieties show fragrance and vineyard characters with perfume and aromatic lift combined with elegant textures and fine acid lines.
Bottling
Laterite Hills Chardonnay matured for 10 months in barrels before being bottled in February 2022.
Winemaking
Farmed with the same philosophy and made in the same way of our single vineyard chardonnays. All fruit was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed, before undergoing wild yeast fermentation in French oak barriques (25% new). Barrels were left unsulphured over the winter months with a portion undergoing wild malolactic fermentation.
