Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Alcohol %: 13.9%
Average Brix: 23.5
Oak Maturation: 11 months
Final pH: 3.10
Final Acid: 7.23 g/l
Harvest Date: 08/02/2014-26/02/2014
Bottling Date: 18/08/2015-20/08/2015
Release Date: 01.05.2017
Cellaring Potential: 15-20 years

TASTING NOTE
A pristine and lifted nose highlighted by Nashi pears, limes, white peach and fig. The primary fruits are complimented by nutmeg, cinnamon, almonds and sesame that creates subtle complexity. The palate has concentration with clarity and purity. An introduction of grapefruit and pear lead to a delicately textured, layered and woven palate with nougat, anise and cashews present. There is immense length that finishes with a fine acid line and mineral finish.

THE YEAR
Pruning was completed in the middle of a very wet and windy September, rainfall was above average. Springs that had been inactive in the landscape for many years were again flowing freely. Dams filled and the Boodjidup Brook flowed strongly. Chardonnay bud burst was almost complete by the end of August. Early spring was very windy, rainy and cool. September 2013 was particularly brutal, crop losses resulted from the constant North West gales that beat the more exposed vineyard sites through the middle of the month. Weather improved with October and November, but bouts of wind and rain continued between periods of fine and sunny weather. Chardonnay cap fall was 100% on November 11th and Cabernet Sauvignon on November 25th. December was generally fine and warm. Veraison was noted in the Chardonnay in the first week of January, and several weeks later in the Cabernet. Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay harvest commenced in the middle of February, the white harvest was completed by early mid-March. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz harvest began in the last week of March and on into middle of April depending on the site. January was warm, with slightly above average daytime temperatures; February in contrast had slightly cooler than average daytime temperatures; then March slightly warmer again but with cooler nights. A fabulous vintage with excellent weather conditions for developing and maintaining the delicate flavours of the white fruit. April developed a distinctly autumnal feel with warm days and cool nights producing physiologically ripe skin and seed tannins in the reds. The cooling influence of the sea breeze was significant this year, most days through summer the southerly breeze from the Southern Ocean was obvious in the early afternoon.

VINIFICATION
Cool destemmed fruit with some skin contact. The juice was settled for 3 days, racked and inoculated with yeast. 100% of the juice was barrel fermented in new French oak barriques and the lees stirred regularly. After 11 months in barrels the various components were blended, fined, cold stabilized and bottled.

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