2018 Estate Chardonnay

The fruit was field-sorted, hand-picked, then whole-cluster pressed, settled in tank for 24 hours on average, barrel-fermented with indigenous yeast in a combination of 40% new, 600-liter puncheons and 60% old French oak barriques from diverse coopers and left to age for 11 months. Full malolactic conversion completed spontaneously in each barrel. The wines were combined in tank with their lees for five months prior to bottling. 1,000 cases produced. Savoury nose with some sweet spicy elements. Very crystalline and transparent with richer fruit than the 2019. Neat with strong lemon-syrup elements. Medium length and very serviceable. (JR)