Lightfoot & Sons Myrtle Point Chardonnay 2016

The Myrtle Point Vineyard is in the Gippsland Lakes District. Located in far eastern Victoria, between the Great Dividing Range and Bass Straight, the Gippsland Lakes District enjoys a cool, semi-maritime climate. Soil structure of the Myrtle Point vineyard is Terra Rosa over limestone.

2016 was the kind of year Viticulturists hope for every year. Plenty of winter rain ensured the soil moisture profile was fully topped up leading into spring thus allowing the vines to make the most of the mild conditions spring provided. Unusually calm conditions wind wise allowed the shoots to grow as they pleased, as well as providing excellent conditions for flowering. The mild stable weather led to the vines setting a slightly larger than average crop of even sized bunches. The usual Shoot-thinning, positioning and trimming occurred throughout the spring and into early summer. The post-Christmas, late summer weather did its bit and gave plenty of sunshine, minimal rain and no major heat events, which led to a nice slow ripening period. This slow ripening led to good acid retention in the fruit, which maintained a beautiful fruit profile up until and during the harvest, which began on Tuesday the first of March (about two weeks ahead of normal).

The 2016 Chardonnay was picked over two weeks between the 1st and the 16th of March reflecting the difference in ripening between both blocks in the vineyard, and clones within the blocks. This combination of clones, picking dates, and blocks encourages complexity of fruit profiles and balanced natural acidity. The grapes for this wine were all picked and immediately pressed, with the juice going directly to barrel (no juice settling prior to ferment). Only the free run juice and the light pressings are used for this wine. Ferments were carried out using a mixture of wild and cultivated strains of yeast, in French Oak barrels. Of these barrels approximately 15% are new with a mixture of larger format oak in Hogs Heads and Puncheons. Lees stirring was undertaken in the following months to increase complexity. A handful of the barrel ferments went through a malolactic fermentation. New barrels used in the blend came from the coopers St. Martin, Damy and Sirugue, with wood from the Allier and Vosges forests.

A fresh, bright Chardonnay. Citrus, white Peach and melon layered with minerality, texture with a subtle oak influence. Winery Notes

Reviews & Accolades

"Attention to detail in both the vineyard and winery has paid dividends: this combines elegance and intensity, balance and length. White peach and citrussy acidity soar on the finish, imprinting themselves permanently on the very long palate and aftertaste. All class." - 95 Points
James Halliday - Halliday Wine Companion 2018

“$30 is rarely ‘value’ territory but this is excellent buying, even at that price. It just gets the pitch right. Lemon curd, marzipan, white peach and smoky oak characters sit hand- in-glove in the best of ways. The finish is slightly chalky; entirely positive. Lovely chardonnay.” - 93 Points
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, April 2017