Elegant, cool climate fruit from the Yarra Valley produces elegant & focused Chardonnay.
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TASTING NOTE
The 2017 Chardonnay displays vibrant aromas of white peach and elderflower with hints of almond meal. The palate is long and rich with intense stone fruit and citrus flavours layered with fine grained French oak. A beautifully balanced wine that displays great fruit purity, elegant restraint and seamless natural acidity leads to a powerful, crisp finish.
FOOD MATCHES
Chicken Breast with Prosciutto; Tempura Prawns; Seafood Platter
VINEYARD
Grapes were sourced primarily from the Langbrook vineyard at Yarra Junction in the Upper Yarra Valley. The soils consist of weathered clay loam that is free draining. This area was selected based on its consistent ability to provide a cool to cold growing season that is essential in the development of intense Chardonnay varietal characteristics with lively acid structure.
GROWING SEASON
After a cool spring and summer and a nervous January and February we saw an amazing early Autumn spread through the Yarra Valley. A stand out growing season.
WINEMAKING
The fruit for the 2017 Better Half Chardonnay was handpicked at 12.3 baumé with balanced acid and fruit freshness. All fruit is hand picked and cooled overnight. The fruit was whole bunch pressed and lightly settled overnight before racking to barrels for wild ferment with some solids. The juice was fermented in French oak barriques, 15% new to provide mid-palate texture and complexity. The wine is battonaged monthly and left on lees for 11 months to add further texture and palate weight.
ANALYSIS
Alcohol 13.3%, pH 3.23, TA 6.77 g/L
PACKAGING
750mL, 12 bottles per case