2020 Single Vineyard Chardonnay

colour

Pale gold with a light green rim.

aroma

This wine exudes toasted almonds, citrus blossom and kaffir lime on the nose.

palate

This is a silky wine with vibrant, linear acidity. Powerful citrus fruits and apricot pip combine with Tahitian lime and savoury oak-driven complexities, to create an elegant, beautifully poised wine with a long, lean finish.

cellaring

This wine may be enjoyed on release but will reward careful cellaring for three to six years.

vintage

2020 was a tricky vintage for life in general with lockdowns, split workforces and all manner of challenges but it did make for some very lovely wines in Margaret River. A steady, relatively warm season was punctuated by a couple of solid rainfall events but the vineyards largely loved the natural moisture, resulting in Chardonnay fruit with balanced natural acidity and exciting phenolic structure.

winemaking

Fruit was hand-picked from a small vineyard site in Karridale and left overnight in a cool room. The following day the fruit was whole bunch pressed on a long but gentle cycle, to avoid unwanted phenolics. The juice was then racked straight to oak hogshead and puncheons for wild fermentation. The oak regime used was 35% new. This wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation and battonage was only used when necessary.

region

Margaret River

variety

Chardonnay 

analysis

• Alcohol: 13.0%
• pH: 3.14
• Acidity (TA):  7.90 g/L

King George Whiting with a spring pea, mint and zucchini salad.

Melbourne Royal Wine Awards 2021

Best WA Chardonnay

Margaret River Wine Show 2021

Best Single Vineyard White

National Wine Show of Australia 2021

Royal Perth Wine Awards 2021

Royal Hobart Wine Show 2021

James Halliday Australian Chardonnay Challenge 2021

Wine Show of Western Australia 2021