Chardonnay Viognier bottle image
Chardonnay Viognier bottle image

Chardonnay Viognier 2009

Tasting Notes

This wine shows subtle tropical fruits on the nose; citrus and orange blossom, as well as a hint of white stone fruit (nectarine). These characters show up on the palate, with a similar subtlety combined with a wonderful balance and a satisfying evenness with a clean, fresh, citrus finish.

A very dry winter was followed by a hot January which segued into a dry, mild conclusion to vintage. Small crops of both whites and reds were the result of dry conditions in winter and the preceding 3-4 years. In the case of the red varieties, the longer you waited for them the better they got.

Picked early at 12.5° Beaumé, the Chardonnay was gently pressed off and fermented in stainless steel to preserve the fresh aromas of citrus fruits and tight acidity and structure. The Viognier, true to its variety, required longer on the vine for the grapes to reach full flavour, ripeness and texture, and was picked at about 14.0° Beaumé. This component of the wine was fermented in older French barriques. The blend comprises 95% Chardonnay and 5% Viognier.

Technical Details

Picking Date: Chardonnay: 1st, 2nd and 5th February 2009 Viognier: 22nd February 2009

pH Level: 3.37

Total Acidity: 6.67 g/L

Alc/Vol: 13.0%

Bottling Date: 15th September 2009