Explorers Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024

Hand-picked single vineyard Gin gin Chardonnay grapes were pressed directly into French oak barriques, 30% new, and wild fermented until dry and matured in barrel for a further 9 months. Aromas of lightly toasted and minerally new oak underlay the citrus and white nectarine fruit characters of the chardonnay. The flavours flow onto the palate and are balanced by saline acidity, with depth of fruit weight and length indicating this wine will reward careful cellaring for many years. Only 200 dozen produced.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-harvested in the cool of the morning on 20 January 2024 and chilled overnight, before whole-bunch pressing directly into a combination of 30% new and 70% second fill French oak barrels. Indigenous yeast completed the fermentation in 20 days and the wine was then matured in barrel for a further 9 months. During maturation the barrels were topped and lees stirred monthly. The wine was racked from barrel in late November, tartrate and protein stabilised in tank, before filtering and bottling on 5 December 2024.

Alcohol: 12.8%
pH: 3.25
TA: 6.2 g/L