2025 Eden Valley Chardonnay

Our 17th release of Chardonnay brings together fruit from our Craneford vineyard together with a small patch of Chardonnay from a vineyard which neighbours our newly acquired vineyard at Meng-ler Hill, sitting at a similar altitude. 2025 is the second year we have taken on a little extra fruit from our neighbours and it is pleasing to see how the blocks complement each other adding to the complexi-ty of our Chardonnay.

Our Eden Valley Chardonnay comes from a vineyard we have worked with for many years at Craneford and also from a site closer to our Mengler vineyard in Eden Valley. With the altitude sitting around 450m, these sites warm up more slowly and cool down earlier than the valley floor which helps to retain freshness and acidity, such crucial elements of our Chardonnay. Aspect varies with rolling hills and soils are more skeletal and minerally. We have a long history with the Craneford block and our Neighbour Paul Hampton is custodian to the second patch of Chardonnay which has recently been returned to own roots.

It was a pleasure to have a little more Chardonnay in the winery this year. We harvested our batches a week apart, both in the coolth of the morning from where the fruit was gently pressed and settled. Post settling we rack off taking a decent proportion of light fluffy lees. We wild fermented a portion of Chardonnay, which was transferred directly to oak post racking to help build complexity as a compo-nent of the finished wine. The remainder of both batches began their fermentation in tank before being transferred to oak for the greater portion of fermentation followed by some MLF and extended time on lees with stirring as required.
- Jules Ashmead & Brock Harrison

Alcohol: 13.0%

Aroma: Vibrant citrus notes with attractive stonefruit nuanced with hints of cashew, almond meal and flint

Appearance: Pale green straw

Taste: Palate A burst of juicy lime curd, and subtle stonefruit, all harmonising with a lively yet elegant acid backbone. There is a lovely sense of generosity with some Crème Brûlée notes on the finish and the subtleties of French oak add a spicy, toasty depth.

Mouthfeel: Elegant, driven, focused

Ageing Process: Barrel fermented in French oak with partial malolactic fermentation, sur lie and batonnage for 8 months