St Huberts Chardonnay 2017 (Yarra Valley)

Hubert de Castella's passion for the Yarra Valley saw him establish St Huberts in 1862. By the late 1800s it had grown to be the largest estate in the area. The wines enjoyed immediate and on-going success at wine shows both domestically and abroad. The onset of the Great Depression, the increasing popularity of fortified wine and the emerging profitability of dairy farming saw the vineyard revert to grazing in the 1920s. It wasn't until the 1960s that the Yarra Valley again rose to prominence as a wine region and St Huberts was once again one of the pioneers.

Fruit for this 2017 Chardonnay was sourced from premium sites in the Lower Yarra Valley. A selection of clones was used, with over half being French Dijon and around 20% Mendoza. A mix of destemmed fruit and whole bunch pressing is employed, then high solids juice was fermented in a mixture of new and seasoned French oak. The wine spent its entire oak maturation on yeast lees and was racked just prior to blending. A small portion of the wine went through malolactic fermentation to add texture and palate weight.

A cool Spring followed by a mild Summer led to a late vintage in the Yarra Valley for 2017. Yields were average to below average, and the mild conditions led to steady ripening and good quality in all varieties. Drink now to enjoy vibrant varietal flavours, or allow depth and complexity to grow over the next three to five years or so. Winery Notes