2023 Chardonnay

Bronze Medal - 2024 International Wine & Spirits Competition (88 points)

Variety: Chardonnay 100%
Region: Margaret River 100%
Sub Region: Karridale 78%/Wilyabrup 22%
Cellaring Potential: This wine is drinking beautifully now and over the next 3-5 years.
Colour: Pale straw
Bouquet: Complex aromas of citrus, toasted oatmeal, and stonefruit, are enhanced by a soft toasted vanilla bean and warm spicy oak nuance. Barrel fermentation and maturation in seasoned French oak barriques add depth and complexity to the aroma.
Palate: Ageing on lees for 9 months has further enhanced a creamy, long and soft finish.

Salty thyme garlic lemon butterflied whole chicken flame grilled.

Viticulture
 
The vineyard is planted on Karri loam gravel soils with underlying laterite. Vine rows run east /west down a gentle east facing slope and are clone Gin-Gin with trellis structured to vertical shoot positioning. The vineyard is subject to the cool Southern Ocean breezes and ripens slowly, evenly and with naturally high acidity.

Winemaking

Sourced from the Warner Glen Vineyard in the Karridale sub region of Margaret River, our 2022 Flying Fish Cove Chardonnay was crafted in a premium style that delivers maximum fruit expression and complexity with low new oak influence.
 
The grapes were hand harvested and chilled overnight prior to whole bunch pressing directly to barrel with varying levels of fruit solid inclusion.
 
The wine was allowed to spontaneously ferment in seasoned barrels. Primary ferment progressed over two weeks with occasional stirring to suspend the yeast. Then allowed to naturally proceed through secondary ferment.
 
Following ferment, the barrels were topped monthly and stirred under protective conditions which added texture and complexity to the wine.After 9 months of careful barrel maturation the Chardonnay was blended and a light fining and filtration was performed prior to bottling.

Technical details
Alc%: 12.5%
pH: 3.21
TA: 7.82g/L
RS: Dry