2016 was the last of four long years of drought which had a profound impact on the grapevines growing conditions. With little water in the ground the vines started their growing season earlier each year during the drought. 2016 was by far the earliest we had seen vines bud out in over a decade but luckily there was no frost in the Spring. The Summer was moderate, and the crop was light resulting in our earliest harvest ever.

This vintage is decidedly peachy, with strong notes of melon, citrus, and honey. Once on the palate the wine comes into balance as the acidity takes center stage and brings the Chardonnay to a refreshing finish. Aging in 25% new French oak has added hints of clove and cinnamon and a touch of brown sugar. Extended time in barrel on lees has resulted in a more complex, yet richer palate whilst still retaining the elegance we expect from our Chardonnay.

The grapes were harvested early in the morning and whole bunch pressed into tank. After 48 hours settling the juice was racked into French oak barrels (25% new). The barrels were not inoculated and 3 days later wild yeast began to noticeably ferment. After about 15 days the barrels were inoculated with malo-lactic bacteria as the ferments finished. The barrels were topped and stirred biweekly until the New Year, then only topped. The wine remained on lees for 6 months. This wine was filtered to allow aging but not fined.