Description

Oyster shells, wet rocks, sea spray and orchard fruits. Finesse combine with pillowy fruit weight; this is a wine that has weight and texture coupled with a green apple crunch. An energy drives the palate with a pithy interest and a slippery texture on the back palate the gives ample weight and extraordinary carry. The fruit is supported by an extremely fine grained oak tannin framework which lingers on the finish.

A few years in bottle will build weight with careful cellaring for up to 10 years.

The two original Chardonnay blocks, planted in 1969 (clone unknown) and more modern clonal material 95 and 548.

Hand harvested grapes placed in a chiller overnight before whole bunch pressing which gives us very high quality juice. Fermentation in French oak barrels; a combination of 228 L barriques and some 500 L puncheons, 30% new oak. Both wild yeasts and cultured yeast were allowed to carry out the fermentation offering complexity and a hint of wet stone. Natural acidity was retained by inhibiting malolactic fermentation. Maturation for 10 months in our cool underground cellar before blending and bottling.