Tillie J Wines Yarra Valley Chardonnay

A bright glossy bouquet of preserved lemon, fresh cut hay and summer stone fruit. Precise with fine boned acidity, salinity persists with hints of lemon pith, orchard fruits and ginger snap biscuit on the palate. A hint of creamy oak persists on the finish. This wine was crafted from a small parcel of Chardonnay from a vineyard in Gruyere situated on grey clay loam soils nestled in the gently undulating slopes of the Yarra Valley floor. The two clones are 277 and 95, harvested on the same day, destemmed, pressed and co-fermented in French oak barriques. 10% of the blend is new oak with one second fill barrel, one third fill and the rest old, more seasoned oak. Once chilled, destemmed and gently pressed the juice was transferred to barrel with a generous amount of solids for primary fermentation and inoculated with two different strains of yeast to promote a complimentary aromatic profile. After primary fermentation was complete the wine was then stirred, topped with more chardonnay lees and a small addition of sulphur was made. No secondary fermentation took place. The barrels then underwent Bâtonnage every 4 to 6 weeks and 9 months maturation on full yeast lees before being blended, stabilized, minimally fined, filtered and bottled. The wine is vegan.