Description

Probably  the best and most consistent of the Growers that is readily available in Australia. The estate is 15 hectares, predominantly in Vertus, at the southern tip of the Côte des Blancs, yet there are also holdings in Cramant, Chouilly, Oger and Avize. The vineyards are biodynamically worked and the average age of the vines is 35 years.

It is 100% Chardonnay coming from the chalky 1er Cru vineyard plots of Les Barillers and Les Faucherets, situated mid-slope in Vertus. Mineral wines of the village, wines that can recall the best wines of Mesnil. Fermentation begins spontaneously in Stockinger casks and wooden vats. The wines are left on their natural lees for nearly a year and undergo gentle bâtonnage, but no filtering or fining. If the year merits it, this cuvée will be bottled in July as a vintage.

Champagne – A wine region of France approximately 160km East of Paris. It is also the name of the wines produced from the area. Most famously it is a sparkling wine that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle and is aged on lees. Although there is the occasional still wine you can find around particularly Pinot Noir. The fantastically named Bouzy Rouge is one such example. There are very few single vintage, single vineyard, single variety Champagnes (I can only name one and it was produced only 47 times between 1900 and 1999). Why? Due to the large area the region covers, and the challenging weather the houses blended wines to produce a consistent and reliable product every year. This is where the growers come in. They relish the chance to show off vintage variation and small plot wines.

Chardonnay – The grape that you can plant anywhere, in any climate and do anything to and it will still taste like an OK wine. When people hit the sweet spot of site, climate, cropping and winemaking, Chardonnay becomes a magical wine that will age gracefully but charm you at any age. Chardonnays can range from cool climate lean and citrusy to warmer climate tropical and overt. Oak and lees can add flavouring as can malolactic fermentation.