1997 was a cool, low cropping year which in general favoured strong varietal flavours, and intensity and elegance in most wines. Our Chardonnay was cropped at less than 2T/acre and does show these attributes. It was 100% barrel fermented, with approximately 25% new oak and an extended barrel maturation for optimising integration and complexity.
It is straw-coloured with hints of green, and has a powerful, complex nose displaying grapefruit and biscuity characters which are well supported by subtle French oak. The palate is big and complex, and it has a crisp, focused but textural palate showing firm, clearly varietal fruit, as on the nose, with a lingering aftertaste. This is a powerful wine, which we believe has considerable potential for development. The wine is not as forward as in some vintages and our usual recommendation is particularly applicable: drinking it at 4-7 years old should show considerable benefits from good cellaring conditions. |
