Description
2010 Aged Reserve Chardonnay
In the vineyard
- 100% Chardonnay from 20-year-old vines (at time of picking)
- Sourced from Cottonvale at 960m (80%) and Ballandean at 820m (20%)
- Granite soils
- Cool climate
- Hand-harvested and hand-selected
In the winery
- Whole bunch pressed
- Wild yeast
- Fermented in 40% new French oak
- No battonage, malolactic fermentation or additions
- Minimal sulphur added before bottling
- 208 cases made
- Aged in bottle at 15 degrees
In the bottle
- Green and yellow hues
- Aromas of wheat, bread crust and mushroom
- Flavours of spice and earth with a lingering bright lemon acidity
- Medium bodied
- Elegant, understated and in synch with its granite terroir
- 12.5% ABV
️ Granite Belt, Queensland
For someone with a fairly young collection, opening a cellar aged wine is always pretty exciting. And when it’s from the Granite Belt (which is close to my heart, just not my house) it’s doubly so.
Along with a 2008 Shiraz, this 2010 Chardonnay comes from Settlers Rise Wines and Master of Wine, Peter Scudamore Smith.
Fruit for this wine comes from two Granite Belt vineyards located 25 km apart: 20% from Ballandean in the southern part of the region, at 820m altitude, and 80% from the Cottonvale vineyard, found north of Stanthorpe town, at a higher elevation of 960m altitude. ️
100% Chardonnay, over two dates it was hand harvested with select bunches transported by bin to the winery. The grapes were whole bunch pressed and the wine wild fermented in French oak hogsheads and barriques (40% new). It was then matured in oak for 8 months without malo, batonage or additions – and bottled in March 2011 – before bottle ageing for a massive 12 years prior to release.
The intention being to pour (now) in its optimum drinking window, which is pretty special, especially if you love Chardonnay (like I do) with a bit of age on it.
Wonderful aromas leap from the glass – lemon blossom , golden apple , baked pear , brioche, baking spices and faint ginger . Medium+ bodied and wonderfully layered, the palate shows preserved lemon , grilled pineapple , subtle nutty notes and vanilla spices. Rounded, faintly textural, smooth and so flavoursome, acidity is bright and the finish lengthy.
All up, a wonderful wine, ageing gracefully. It’s certainly in a beautiful place – as you’d expect and hope after such a lengthy time, resting in the cellar.
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@uncorkedandcultivated