Caledonia Australis Chardonnay 2013
The 2012 vintage was strongly affected by the residual soil moisture that carried over from an incredibly wet 2011. The vines responded to the moisture and produced large strong canopies. The crop level was low (and this again was attributable to 2011) with a lower number of bunches per vine than usual. All these factors combined with a colder and drier than usual period in February and March to yield small but very concentrated bunches.
Like 2009 the harvest was more leisurely as the flavours came on gradually and we had plenty of time to watch and wait. In the end the appearance of low level shrivel caused us to start bringing the fruit in. 2012 was a landmark vintage for us, as it was the first year the chardonnay reached full Grade A Organic status.
Colour
Bright, light golden straw
Nose
Sweet complex and pungent aromatics of fresh cut hay, quince and spiced apples, hints of orange blossom and honeysuckle
Palate
The palate is vibrant and textured with a layering of flavours reminiscent of bright citrus and savoury, flinty, wet slate characters. Delicate sweetly spiced oak together with long fresh acidity and a fine focussed delivery amounts to a beautifully balanced mesh of fresh fruits with a mealy and persistent finish.
The fruit for this wine was hand harvested in small batches with the target of optimum richness for an acceptable level of acidity. Some botrytis was present but this was hand sorted as we picked. Each batch was then pressed and lightly settled before being racked to barrel cloudy. Fermentation was allowed to begin naturally and the barrels then underwent fermentation at there own pace. After fermentation the wine was left on full lees unsulfured. Some barrels began spontaneous malo-lactic fermentation whilst others did not. After a long maturation, the wine was then racked, stablised and bottled.
Certified Grade A Organic
$168.00
Price per 6 pack
Out of stock
from the fertile soils of Leongatha, Gippsland Australia
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