2017 Museum Chardonnay

This chardonnay was hand-picked at optimum ripeness and gently whole bunch pressed into French oak barriques where indigenous yeasts completed the fermentation to dryness. Aromas of almond meal, flint and papaya emanate and entice to reveal a palate of exceptional fruit weight and saline acidity.

After cold weather and coastal frost in 2018, Margaret River vineyards produced low yields across all white varieties in vintage 2019 due to damaging winds and freezing of the buds as the shoots emerged. This resulted in delivering perfect yields in terms of volume and quality in 2020, due to having a “year off” from ripening a normal crop. The Marri trees flowered prolifically and diverted native birds into the forest and away from the vines which was a timely boon for viticulturists. The region enjoyed an early start to vintage with warmer than average spring temperatures in 2019. Perfect ripening conditions and little rain over summer led to a stellar vintage. We were able to choose picking dates with no pressure from birds or the elements! Hence the whites were picked with great physiological ripeness, leading to wines with wonderful aromas and flavour.

The chardonnay grapes were hand harvested in the cool of morning on 10th February 2020 and chilled to 5 degrees Celsius in a chiller room overnight. The whole bunches were then pressed the following morning into a stainless-steel tank.