Winery & Vintage Info
The famous Beechworth region is known for its iconic wines. Much of this can be attributed to the altitude, granitic soil and climate. The vineyard is located on the Beechworth-Wangaratta Road, at an altitude of 400m. The Chardonnay is planted on the South East facing slope, in deep decomposed granitic top soil over rich clay.
Sophie’s Block is situated on the coolest part of the site. This cooler Mesoclimate enhances the delicate but powerful flavours in the grapes. Given its proximity to some of Beechworth’s finest vineyards, the Chardonnay is already showing the exciting potential of this site. Five different clones, including the Bernard clones have been close planted at 1.2m x 2.4m rows to maximise intensity and complexity.
2015 was a mild growing season, dry Spring with temperatures slightly warmer than average. Summer temperatures were average to below average, with no days of extreme heat, which is ideal for flavour development. We had a reduced need for irrigation which resulted in a very strong vintage for all varieties. Both white and red wines showed fantastic depth of flavour and finesse. One to watch!
The grapes were picked over two weekends to add depth and complexity to the wine. The first pick adds grapefruit and tight mineral structure to the wine while the riper second pick added weight and intensity. Both components complement the style. This wine was made using traditional Burgundian techniques. The grapes were destemmed and gently pressed. Wild fermentation occurred with the vineyard’s indigenous yeast in French oak barriques and hogsheads. The barrels used were 31% new and a mixture of older oak. Careful winemaking added subtle nuances whilst maintaining the tight structure and preserving the unique vineyard characters of the wine. There was no malolactic fermentation and limited barrel stirring. Winery Notes
