2019 Applecross Chardonnay

The Review
 
“A defining feature of this beauty is its tight acid line. It’s rather racy, yet its buffering ginger spice, lemon scents and citrus fruit across the palate. Some creamy/nutty lees add another layer of detail to an otherwise savoury, mouth-watering wine. Screw cap. 13.5% alc.” 95 Point James Halliday

The Wine

A warm vintage with an early pick on the Prices Rd vineyard, on March 5th. The crop load this year was lighter with the dry conditions at 3.5 t/Ha. The harvest analysis reflects those conditions with 13.4° baume, 3.20 pH and 7.1 g/L of acid. A higher sugar than usual, with the acidity hanging in there. 
 
Winemaking follows previous seasons - passively chilling the fruit overnight in a cool room, whole bunch pressing directly to 500 litre puncheons for fermentation. Fermentation occurring naturally and progressing to dryness over a three-week period. Once complete, sulphuring on its fermentation lees, and leaving until January 2020, when the vessels were blended into tank prior to bottling. Other than SO2, no additions were made to the wine.