WINE: 2004 PENNON HILL CHARDONNAY Block 1 on Montalto’s picturesque Pennon Hill vineyard was re-trellised in 2000 to allow for greater sunlight interception and to produce the intense fruit flavours required for this fresh, fruit driven style wine. It is delicate and poised, with bright citrus and stone-fruit flavours and a subtle textural influence from partial barrel fermentation. Vintage
The Pennon Hill block was picked two weeks after the warmer Montalto block and enjoyed the extended ripening period we experienced in 2004. Its fruit was disease free and wonderfully ripe, a textbook vintage for the slower ripening block on Pennon Hill. Fermentation
The hand harvested bunches were de-stemmed, crushed and pressed and chilled to between 4oC and 6oC to preserve the delicate flavours of the fruit. After 24 hours the juice was racked to fluffy lees and then fermented at around 15oC to retain the freshness and vibrance enjoyed in the Pennon Hill range of wines. For added complexity a small volume was fermented in tight grained French oak barrels from Troncais and maintained on lees, stirred once weekly. After seven months of maturation both tank and barrel portions were blended and bottled to give the final result. Cellaring
A delicate and polished wine, this fruit-driven Chardonnay drinks wonderfully in its first year, but will soften and gain textural complexity if cellared in the short term. Recommended 0-4 years. Technical Information
Ordering
To place an order for this wine, please download our wine order form. (PDF format - requires Acrobat Reader)
|
