Past Vintages

Technical Details

 "Lively and focused with nectarine and peach fruit on the bouquet; juicy and quite slippery on the palate, with the acid offering a zesty, fresh finish. Rating 90."

Reprinted with permission from James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2010

"Soft, full-bodied Chardonnay bursting out with ripe fruit flavours and powerful spicy oak characters."

Winestate, New Releases Tasting, Nov / Dec 2009

Winemaking

The Chardonnay fruit is harvested in the cool of the night and the free run juice quickly separated from the skins. The juice is naturally cold settled (using no enzyme) and racked to ferment. 50% of the wine completes a steady fermentation at 12-18ºC (54-65ºF) in stainless steel. The balance is fermented in new, fine grained French oak hogsheads and is lees stirred weekly during barrel maturation. This regime along with the addition of a portion of the juice that is fermented in barrel with indigenous yeast, adds complexity and a creamy texture to the palate.

Tasting note

Light straw in colour, with a hint of green. Only the best McLaren Vale free run Chardonnay is used to create this delicate and well balanced wine. Aromas and flavours of lemon zest, white peach, melon and pear lift from the glass and fill the palate. With partial barrel fermentation, some use of indigenous yeast and 4 months on lees in new French oak, a creamy, cashew like complexity enhances the stone fruit and citrus flavours.

Awards:

• 90 Points - James Halliday Aust Wine Companion 2010
• Silver Medal - 2009 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards
• Silver Medal - 2009 International Wine Challenge, Vienna
• Bronze medal - 2008 New Zealand International Wine Show Class 1