Chardonnay 2010

« Back to Wine List
Region:
Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Harvest Date:
16th March 2010
Date Bottled:
8th December 2010
Alcohol:
13.5%
Winemaker:
Daryl Catlin, Michael Downer
Vineyard:
The Murdoch Hill Vineyard stands 512m high in the cool climate Adelaide Hills near the township of Oakbank.
  • Vine Positioning: A predominately north facing slope, maximizes sunlight and facilitates ripening.
  • Soil Structure: Sandy loam over medium clay subsoils.
  • Canopy Management: Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP), canopy trimming and spur pruning.
Vintage:
The 2010 vintage was ideal for grape growing, with good rainfall over winter and spring to help develop a strong canopy,this required some hand thinning to reduce yields.Apart from some high temperatures in November the season was mild with cool nights, producing concentrated fruit with good natural acidity. This was enhanced by hand picking and careful winemaking.
Style & Tasting Notes:
Our aim was to produce the best possible Chardonnay that highlights the unique characteristics of our estate. This starts in the vineyard where we shoot and bunch thinned to ensure balanced vines, which produce concentrated fruit. After hand harvesting,we chilled the bunches in cold storage at 2 degrees for several days, before whole bunch pressing straight into the barrel. Using only French oak we let the juice ferment naturally, with malolactic fermentation softening the natural high acidity. The wine in the barrels had regular lees stirring to impart texture and length. Our low yielding vines produced pristine fruit, with wild fermentation has imparted complexity and regular lees stirring has provided texture and length to this wine.
Media:
94 POINTS, Halliday 2012 edition
Download wine sheet