Bay of Fires Chardonnay 2020

Medium straw in colour, with a green hue. Lively aromas of white nectarine and fresh limes. Toasty oak with a hint of lemon curd richness and just a whiff of classic Bay of Fires flinty funk. A juicy but refined palate with a backbone of mineral acidity and flavours of grapefruit and lime. The zippy mouthfeel is rounded with malolactic softness and structured with a sprinkling of charry French oak. The fruit for this Chardonnay was hand harvested from the East Coast, Tamar Valley, Coal River Valley and Derwent River Valley regions of Tasmania. Lifted aromas of peach and preserved lemon precede a long, textured palate, carefully balancing vibrant fruit, creamy texture and French oak. A true cool climate wine style.

2020 in Tasmania was a very challenging year for viticulture. A very dry but cool lead up to December combined with constant windy conditions led to slow growth, extended flowering and poor set, resulting in low yields and significant variation in ripening within bunches. Significant rain from January right through to harvest encouraged berry split and Botrytis, keeping anxiety levels for both growers and winemakers alike on a constant high. The extended, late season and variation in bunches saw high retention of malic acid across most regions, and vineyards losing leaves earlier than we would have liked. Chardonnay has benefited from malolactic fermentation to soften natural acids but has plenty of flavour, length and finesse.

Growing Areas Tasmania (East Coast, Tamar Valley, Coal River Valley and Derwent River Valley)

Cellaring Up to 8 years