WINEMAKER’S NOTES

Our fithteenth release Chardonnay in a range of wines that reflect our winemaking skills and our commitment to finding the best fruit and applying simple, traditional winemaking techniques to deliver what we believe is a fine example of a style whilst remaining classical of the Margaret River region and the quality it delivers.

AWARDS: Gold Medal - 2024 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards

TASTING NOTES

Colour:  Pale - med straw.

Aroma:  Fine, pure Chardonnay fruit, subtle aromas of white peach and nectarine, minerally granite complexity complemented by integrated spicy and vanillan French oak.

Palate:  Tightly structured, with a minerally, finely structured palate. Powerful fruit, nutmeg and cinnamon spice with great length.  This Chardonnay will reward those with patience who further cellaring.

Food matching:  Pork is a fine accompaniment.

Cellaring: Up to 8 years

Alcohol:  12.5%     Standard drinks:  7.4

TECHNICAL NOTES

Region:  Margaret River

Vintage notes 2023 will be remembered as a later than average, extended vintage, one that produced outstanding wines. Dry with very little disease pressure, above average yields but high bird pressure due to the lack of native blossom.

Lower winter temperatures sent vines into early shutdown post V22 providing solid dormancy. Winter was dryer      than average and the cooler than average temperatures meant a later (2 – 3 week) budburst than normal. Spring conditions were also cool and early vine growth was slow with an extended flowering period. Fruit set was good resulting in above average crops across all varieties.

The warm, dry, sunny summer days saw vine growth take off after the slow start. With less than 2mm of rain throughout Summer and no major heat waves the growing conditions were ideal. Veraison across the whites was delayed by around two weeks and the reds weren’t far behind.

Vintage 2023 – the late vintage that lingered longer than most vignerons would like, however patience has been rewarded with outstanding quality across the board.

Composition:  100% Gingin Chardonnay.

Winemaking:   The Chardonnay grapes were selected for elegance of flavour with the objective to make a wine that is fine, persistent and with the potential to bottle age over the medium term. Predominately hand harvested and whole bunch pressed. Post gentle pressing, the juice was transferred to oak to undergo natural fermentation in a combination of French oak barriques and puncheons. Maturated in oak on lees for eight months in a combination of new and one year old barrels (~45% new oak) has allowed the wine to evolve as necessary before the final decision to assemble the wine for bottling.

pH:  3.10

Acidity:  7.63 g/l

Residual sugar:  Dry