Nose
Ripe citrus aromas of lemon rind and grapefruit with notes of nectarine and dried pear and a hint of vanilla shortbread
Palate
The product of the warm ripening season, this wine displays classic ripe grapefruit and peach with hints of dried pear, great natural acid and a long creamy finish.
Growing Conditions
With a very dry and mild winter, spring came early, advancing vine growth and leading to early flowering. November saw unusually warm temperatures close to 30˚C, the prelude to a warm, humid summer. The warmth and humidity led to early and quick veraison then persisted through the ripening season and, with the help of some timely late summer rainfall events, saw the Chardonnay harvested very early. Despite a consistently hot summer, we were fortunate to not experience any excessive heat spikes and consequently the grapes were harvested in perfect condition with characteristic balance and freshness.
Winemaking
Seven separate blocks were hand-harvested between 11.0 and 12.5˚Baumé, allowing us to produce a balanced and delicate wine with complex fruit flavours at sufficiently low alcohol. The fruit was cooled overnight, then whole-bunch pressed and transferred to barrel, with 38% undergoing indigenous yeast fermentation. 45% of the wines underwent malolactic fermentation to build texture and lower the natural acidity. The wine was aged for ten months in French oak barriques, 42% of which were new, 29% one-year-old and 29% two-year-old, undergoing regular bâtonnage.
Aging
Up to 10 years
Appearance
Medium lemon with golden hues
Food Pairing
Longer cooked and fattier white meats, such as pork belly or roasts match the fuller body of this Chardonnay.
