Seville Estate 2011 Chardonnay Yarra Valley
Winemakers Comments
The vineyards of Seville Estate are located in the cooler, southern regions of the Yarra Valley. As a result, our Chardonnay style is crisper, tighter in structure with citrus fruit characters.
The 2011 season started strong (August – September 2010) with great growth seen in the vineyard from bud burst. This was contributed by above average temperatures and good moister left after the July/August rains. This was sort lived as October, November and December brought over 420mm of rain to the Valley; after 650mm already for the year. Giving an annual total of 1070mm. This amount hasn’t been seen since the 1980’s. Unfortunately the rain didn’t stop; another 270mm fell in January and February leading into vintage. With so much ground moister and above average temperatures, humidity caused major problems over the growing season. The vineyard was continually under threat from disease, mostly powdery mildew, downy mildew and Botrytis. Avoiding these diseases and potential loss of fruit was a 24/7 operation. All our time and efforts were needed in the vineyard to help manage the threats. These conditions delayed vintage by a month with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir picked the first week of April and Shiraz and Cabernet coming in late April and early May. Commenced picking Chardonnay on the 4th March and finished on the 29th March with an average baumè of 11.8.
Vinification:
Fruit is hand picked and gently whole bunch pressed. Juice is run directly to tank and gravity fed to barrel. Fermentation occurs naturally in barrel. A range of French oak coopers and formats (225L – 500L) with 30% new are sourced to introduce oak complexity. Following primary fermentation, maturation continues on lees for 10 months. Malolactic fermentation is not encouraged.
Tasting Notes:
Pale straw yellow colour with a green tinge. Tight melon/white peach with flinty sulphides and almond meal aromas. The melon/white peach flavours continue through the palate with lees complexity that integrates beautifully with the lemon sorbet like acidity. This zesty focused style is designed for aging over the medium term.
Technical Data:
Alcohol: 12.5% Ph: 3.20 Acidity: 7.6 g/L
Awards:
TOP 100 / BLUE GOLD Sydney International Wine Competition 2013
GOLD Victorian Wine Show 2012
GOLD Federation Square 2013 (Best Chardonnay)
SILVER Royal Sydney Wine Show 2014
SILVER Yarra Valley Wine Show 2012
SILVER Cowra Wine Show 2012
SILVER Rutherglen Wine Show 2012
SILVER Perth Royal Wine Show 2012
BRONZE Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2012
BRONZE Royal Queensland Wine Show 2012
BRONZE Royal Hobart Wine Show 2012
95 POINTS James Halliday Wine Companion Magazine 2012
92 POINTS Nick Stock The Age Good Wine Guide 2013