Streicker Ironstone Block Old Vine Chardonnay 2016
Vintage Conditions
The 2015 to 2016 vintage season in Margaret River was generally warm and dry up to the third week in January 2016. The relatively dry winter combined with a warmer growing season corresponded to vines achieving good shoot lengths and making the transition from vegetative growth to fruiting growth a little earlier than normal; a great feature for fruit quality. Our dry growing season was quenched on 19th March, 2016 with 50 mm of rain, enough to wash the dust of the vine leaves, top up the dry soil profiles and carry the vines through to full ripeness. The resulting wines are fragrant with succulent natural acidities, lovely textures and intense aromatic lift.
Winemaking Note
The fruit is hand-picked chilled and whole-bunch pressed to retain freshness and cultivate texture and structure. The juice is settled cold and racked after 2 days, harvesting only the lightest and most delicate grape solids to further aid in textural and aromatic development. The juice is barrel fermented and 33% are allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation, developing both richer, bolder aromatics and textural elements. It is then aged in oak for 9 months and battonaged every two weeks to develop texture and additional palate complexity, after which the wine is removed from barrel, clarified and bottled.
Tasting Notes
100% Gin Gin clone Chardonnay, hand harvested from our Ironstone Vineyard and bursting with the richness and opulence that Margaret River Chardonnay is known for.
Cellaring
This wine has been cellared for you to enjoy now, or will continue to evolve under suitable cellaring conditions.