Blackbook Winery Painter of Light Chardonnay 2018
A fine and elegant Chardonnay with citrus and honeydew melon aromas enhanced by subtle toffee and toasted almond nuances. Textured on the palate, the refreshing citrus and tropical flavours are underlined by a smoky, flint character and it finishes on a delicious saline note.
The grapes for this wine are sourced from a single vineyard ‘Clayhill’ vineyard, which is situated on the coastal peninsula of the Crouch Valley in Essex, between the Crouch and Blackwater Rivers. Planted in 2006, the vineyard is south facing to optimise the sunlight. The mesoclimate is sunny and warm, ideal for the production of quality fruit. The soil is made up of clay, which offers good water retention properties, nourishing the vines throughout the summer growth period. The grapes are hand-picked into small crates to retain the quality of the fruit.
The Blackbook Winery ethos embraces minimal intervention winemaking. The grapes were whole-bunch pressed directly into Burgundy barrels, without settling. Alcoholic fermentation and malolactic conversion both took place with indigenous yeast. The wine spent eight months on its lees in French Burgundy barrels, of which 20% were new oak. Frequent lees stirring imparted texture and complexity. Only minimal sulphur was used and the wine was vinified without additions. The wine was matured for a total of 11 months before being bottled without fining or filtration.