2018 Moonambel Chardonnay

colour

Beautiful light straw colour, highlighted by golden tints, bright and shiny.

aroma

The perfume is intoxicating with its hints of oatmeal, peach and honey; also that ever-elusive character of struck match. The beautiful vanilla spice is all there in wonderful harmony.

palate

The palate is intensely focused. There is a powerful and defined acidity that builds on the mid-palate to highlight the mealy-tropical fruit. The acid then tightens and lengthens the back palate with the subtle Burgundy oak playing a supportive role. The flavours are intensely savoury and mineral. This wine is very light on its feet and beautifully integrated with an underlying depth of creaminess and a long and persistent finish.

cellaring

Optimum drinking within 5–10 years of vintage.

vintage

The 2018 vintage got off to an excellent start with a very good set and pollination. Terrific spring rain in September and October 2017 gave good subsoil moisture to set the vines up for the new vintage. Temperate, humid growing conditions in the new year, so all in all a great year to produce and make premium Chardonnay.

winemaking

After picking, the fruit was chilled overnight to around 12°C The fruit was then air-bag pressed. The juice was settled in stainless steel tanks for 24 hours. The juice was then pumped to French oak barriques – 80% of the juice is inoculated while 20% goes through a natural fermentation. The wine is fermented slow and cool with approximately 25% of the barrels allowed to proceed through malolactic fermentation, approximately six weeks. In these barrels, lees stirring was carried out monthly to improve texture and complexity. 

region

Pyrenees

variety

Chardonnay 

analysis

• Alcohol: 11.5%
• pH: 3.35
• Acidity (TA): 6.1 g/L 

halliday wine companion 2020

Estate-grown, hand-picked, whole-bunch-pressed, wild-fermented in French barriques (30% new), matured for 9 months. Bright, light straw-green; white peach, melon and pink grapefruit on the bouquet, moving to a grapefruit-driven palate with cool climate regalia. Delicious and fresh. 

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