Carlei Estate Chardonnay 2010

Winemakers’ Notes: The fruit is from low yielding (1.5 tonne/acre), dry grown vines from Yarra Valley. The grapes were whole bunched pressed, the juice being oxidatively handled and racked with solids to French oak barrels (50% new), where natural ferments took place. Each barrel underwent some bâtonnage, with some going through slight malo-lactic fermentation to add another layer of complexity. The wine was blended and bottled after 14 months in oak. It was further bottled aged for another 16 months to add complexity to the wine.

Tasting Notes: Light yellow in colour with a green hue, the wine is showing lifted grapefruit and citrus fruit along with some nutty aromatic nuances. There are aromas of roasted nuts, slight match strike and a hint of vanilla oak covering up the fruit. The palate shows white peach, citrus and grapefruit mingling with hazelnuts. This is wrapped in a creamy texture that is dry with crisp but gentle, firm acid at the finish. An elegant wine with balance and finesse that has the potential to age and develop further complexity in the bottle