Our 2022 Golden Plains Chardonnay is a blend from across the three south-west Victorian regions of Henty, Ballarat, and Geelong. 50% is from the Doeven vineyard at Drumborg in the ultra-cool Henty region, a site strongly influenced by the proximity of the Great Southern Ocean. 30% comes from the Sinclair vineyard at Scotsburn, just south of Ballarat, grown in Ordovician period soils (old seabed), on a 500m elevation ridge 1km south-east of Mt Buninyong. The final 20% is from Ceres Bridge vineyard, with its rocky volcanic topsoil over a limestone base, close to the Barwon River in Geelong.

Growing Season
The 2021/2022 growing season was the third cool season in a row. Cold conditions at budburst and flowering led to small crops, these conditions continued across and post veraison ensuring a later-than-normal harvest.

Winemaking
Handpicked across all blocks, the fruit was whole-bunch pressed to tank, allowing the juice to settle for 24 hours; it was roughly racked to French oak barriques, 20% new. The fermentation occurred with indigenous yeasts in barrel at cool temperatures of 14c. Once dry, partial malolactic occurred, endeavouring to balance natural acid levels, encourage mid-palate power and complement the natural fruit characteristics. The wine spent a total of 8 months in oak maturing on yeast lees, before blending and bottling.

Tasting Note
A bright and pale white gold in the glass. Inviting aromas of lemon balm, chalk, daffodils, a faint almond meal from the lees, subtle oak, and flashes of fresh white nectarine. The palate is piquant and juicy, with mouth-filling flavours of ripe citrus, stone fruit, cashew, and a cool climate, almost saline, mineral streak. With a long palate and lingering flavours matched by a quenching natural acidity, it is hard to stop at one glass.