Esk Valley Seabed Chardonnay 2020

This is an elegant, complex and creamy textured Chardonnay which vividly displays the complexities of this great vineyard site. Flavours of white peach, grapefruit, flint and nuts are to the fore with a long mineral finish. Naturally made, with a 'hands-off' approach it is both food friendly and age-worthy and expresses the land in which it was grown. Further complexity has been added with subtle oak and lees from long term barrel ageing.

Planted in 2001 with Burgundy clone 95, this vineyard produces powerful wine with underlying acidity and white peach notes. The vineyard is dry farmed and intensively managed with low yields to maximise the quality of fruit from the site.

The fruit was hand-picked and whole cluster pressed after overnight chilling. Only low juice yields were taken and run directly to barrel for fermentation with wild yeasts. Post fermentation some of the barrels (40% new) were allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation to lower acidity and add complexity to the finished wine. The wine underwent extended barrel ageing with occasional lees stirring, before blending and bottling without fining.