Single Vineyard Les Verges Chardonnay

Dappled Single Vineyard Les Verges Chardonnay draws from John and Josie D'Aloisio's vineyard on a hill above Seville in the Yarra Valley, known for its rich red volcanic soils.

The fruit is handpicked from 1991 plantings of I10V1 clone Chardonnay, then cooled overnight. The whole bunches are lightly crushed by foot before a long pressing.

The juice is then transferred unsulphured to French oak, one quarter new. Fermentation begins naturally, and there is no temperature control. The wine is left on lees in oak for 10 months without stirring.

A further five months on lees in tank follows. Malolactic fermentation is not encouraged. Finally the wine is bottled by hand via gravity, unfined and lightly filtered.

Pale straw, Dappled Single Vineyard Les Verges Chardonnay has a dense core of mixed stone fruits and citrus with lasting minerality. Cellaring potential is five years.