Aroma
This distinctive Macedon ranges chardonnay bursts from the glass with white florals, mineral notes, lemon and grapefruit pith. Hints of lees are complexed with toasty oak notes. The perfume is persistent and intriguing, pure, yet complex.
Appearance
Light straw, green hue and brilliant clarity.
Palate
Lemon zest and grapefruits spill immediately onto the palate. These fruit flavours are augmented with wild ferment characters such as choux pastry and barrel toast complexity. The wine walks a tightrope, with sherbet acidity and lime pith falling off the side yet a great punch of concentration. The mineral palate is long and intense yet continually develops. A chardonnay with real grown flavour from this special site.
Vinification
Hand harvested fruit was firmly whole bunch pressed to impart some skin contact to release the full flavour profile and impart some phenolic texture. Natural ferment occurred in new (30%) and older French Hoggs Head and puncheon barrels. The wine was left to unwind and age slowly on its ferment lees to add generosity. Every barrel was treated as is own entity, with some allowed to go through natural Malolactic fermentation to add further depth. After 11 months the wine was racked and filtered prior to bottling in February 2023.
Cellaring Potential
Drink now through 2030.
Vintage Notes
A cool spring in the Macedon Ranges set medium size crops. A very cool summer and mild autumn led to a very long growing season. This vineyard near Romsey is 540m above sea level, was planted in 1993 in deep red alluvial soils. Grapes ripened late in the season with full flavour and phenolic ripeness. Fruit was hand picked in small batches in pristine condition.
Food Matching
Ocean trout carpaccio. Whiting with caper sauce. Tempura stuffed zucchini flower.
