Nose
A complex and powerful perfume. Bursting with fragrant
pineapple and lemon freshness, the nose gently releases its cache
of wild barrel ferment characters. Crusty apple pie, pretty
lavender, struck stone flintiness, plus subtle lamb fat and bay leaf
provide shadow and depth to the bright citrus that shines from
the core
Palate
Intricate, luscious and mouth-watering, reflecting
pineapple, custard apple and water chestnut, lightly spiced with
cloves, vanillan oak and almond biscuit flavours. Opens with juicy
fruit and evolves to a tight acid drying finish, that carries the
pristine and complex flavours for remarkable length.
Winemaking
A barrel selection of the very best Chardonnay parcels from the
2011 vintage. It was fermented entirely with wild yeasts and
matured in French oak barriques with battonage for nine months.
Our style of Chardonnay has developed significantly over recent
years with complex vineyard character coming from less clarified
juice and natural yeast.Small batches were selected from the finest sections of our best
vineyards and clones. Each batch was very gently pressed and
the juice then transferred to barriques with the inclusion of some
solids to achieve more intense ferment characters and palate
weight. Each batch was fermented ‘wild’ with no yeast addition
and was stirred throughout the nine months of maturation,
allowing the yeast lees to impart further complexity, texture and
palate weight to the wine. With bright, natural acidity a priority,
no malolactic fermentation was encouraged, though a small
amount occured in 2011.
Appearance
Bright pale straw with a green tinge.
