Growing Season

Vineyard: The lucky seventh crop from our home vineyard in Forest Grove. This 0.5 ha was planted in 2004, 1 year after buying the property. A subsequent 1.75 ha of vines was planted in 2008. Our vineyard backs in to the Boranup National Park, and is on a gravelly rise looking west to the Leeuwin Naturalist Limestone Ridge. The total crop of Chardonnay was 1.12tonne.
The 2015 season: The ninth consecutive great season for Margaret River. Following a very wet winter, spring was mild, and the rains dried up as summer began. Summer was warm with a few hot spikes, but ample water in the ground kept the vines in good condition. The ripening period of January and February was moderate, with little or no rain - perfect conditions for the vines. Flavours could develop evenly, and there was no threat of disease.
The resultant white whites have strong varietal characters, without any cooked notes. The wines have retained a delicacy while still having plenty of flavour.

Wine Making

These grapes were hand harvested on the 6th March, and whole fruit pressed to retain texture and delicacy. Fermentation was in French oak barriques, 50% of them new, 50% one year old. Following fermentation, mlf was allowed to start, and run through to completion. The wines stayed in these barrels for a total of 18 months, with occasional stirring to suspend the lees. This extended barrel residence time helps to integrate the higher proportion of new oak.

The wine was minimally fined and filtered. Bottling was done manually with a four head gravity filler in my shed.

The wine was then allowed to relax in bottle for a further 20 months prior to being made available for sale.

Total production - 88 cases.

Technical Analysis

• Alcohol

  13.3% vol.

• Standard Drinks

  7.5

• pH

  3.37

• Acidity

  6.2g.lt

• Residual Sugar

  < 0.5g.lt

Cellaring Potential

Now and over the next 14 years.