Olivia's Chardonnay 2009
Olivias Chardonnay 2009
Winemaker: Anthony Miceli
Picked: 8/4/2009 - 23/4/2009
Winemaking: Hand picked and whole bunch pressed, to maintain maximum fruit and minimum extraction of hard skin tannins. Fully barrel fermented with mild juice oxidation at low temperatures to attain creamy mouthfeel and maximise palate length. This wine has undergone 100% malolactic fermentation, which we feel has added further complexity without detracting from the fruit characters. Retained on fermentation lees, in barrel, for more than a year, to allow full oak integration, complexity and depth.
Oak: 25% new approx, 100% French
Analysis: Alc 13.5% pH 3.45 T/A 7.0 Residual sugar <0.3 g/l
Tasting Notes:
An elegant and flavoursone wine with complexity and depth.
Brilliant pale greenish yellow. It shows citrus, white peach, minerality, restrained oak, with crisp acid balance and creamy mouthfeel.
This wine is fermented in oak, remaining in contact with its yeast lees for a full year to develop depth and complexity.
Cellaring: With barrel and bottle age this wine is drinking beautifully now but will continue to improve for at least a further 5 years, developing honey and toastiness in addition to the delicious fruit.
Winemaker's Comments:
Not over-oaked by this length of ageing, it shows lovely balance and integration, remaining "fine" and demonstrating the elegance and length only possible with long ripening in cool conditions.
2009 vintage had a warm/hot and dry Summer, and fortunately we avoided the impact of the heatwaves that affected Southern Australia. A mild Autumn gives this wine richness and also balance with fresh acidity and citrus notes, it that is a true expression of our climate - our "terroir". The range of picking dates adds to the flavour complexity of the wine
A long way from "mainstream" Australian Chardonnay it does not rely on brute strength, alcohol, or sugar to impress.
Olivia is our second daughter, and is with pride that her name is given to this wine.