Vineyards
Situated on the Teakle property in Port Lincoln, 2 km from the foreshore, with 150 meters elevation. The soils are a rich combination of sandy loam topsoil overlying a friable red-brown clay loam subsoil. The moderately warm summer temperatures and maritime breeze allow perfect ripening conditions in the vineyard. The long sunshine-hour days encourage even ripening of the grapes, while the gentle breeze helps cool the bunches, retaining the beautiful natural acidity.
Vintage
The 2025 growing season brought spring rains, which set up good ground moisture for vine growth and bud burst. The summer of 2024/2025 was warmer in Port Lincoln than that of recent years, and this brought on an earlier vintage picking date. Balanced ripeness of the skins, seeds and tannins was achieved in early February and our 2025 harvest commenced with the Chardonnay pick on 7th February. The vineyard remained disease free and in pristine condition.
Winemaking
The fruit was picked on the 7th February in the early hours of the morning, the coolest time of day, ensuring they are delivered fresh to the winery which naturally helps preservation from oxidation. The fruit was crushed and destemmed into a membrane bag press for gentle pressing and de juicing.
The juice was then transferred to a stainless steel tank to cold settle for 12 days and then racked with approximately 10% solids, warmed and inoculated. The juice was then gravity flow pumped into French Oak Hogshead, with 30% new oak for barrel fermentation. After fermentation was completed, the barrels were topped and then allowed to sit on yeast lees for 6 months with battonage every 4 weeks. The wine was then racked out of barrel, stabilised, filtered and bottled in early August 2025.
Tasting Notes
This chardonnay is bursting with flavour of primary fruit characters of white peach and nectarine. It has lovely acidity, balanced with the oak. The complexity and texture on the palate comes from lees stirring and barrel fermentation, giving a creamy, white nougat and brioche character.
Drinking beautifully now, but with short term ageing the wine will develop more buttery, toasted characters. Drink now to 5 years.
Vegan friendly