Old Stage Chardonnay, Monterey 2019

The fruit comes from the estate ‘Grava’ vineyard, which is one of the most northerly plantings in Monterey County. It nestles up to the Gabilan Mountain Range on the eastern side of the Salinas Valley; approximately 10 miles directly across from the Santa Lucia Highlands. The marine influence of the nearby Monterey Bay and the morning fog which clears for the afternoon sun, results in a cool mesoclimate and a long hang-time for the fruit. The grapes reflect the cool climate character, with complex aromatics and flavours and natural balancing acidity. The vineyard is cultivated sustainably and are certified by the California Sustainable Wine Growing Alliance. Vines are VSP trained and pruned to two bud spurs spaced approximately 10cm apart; the vines are shoot thinned, leaf pulled and shoots are positioned with wire moves. These methods ensure adequate sunlight for optimising fruit-forward expression in the wines.

The grapes were whole cluster pressed and racked to ferment under temperature controlled conditions. The wine spent nine months maturing in a combination of stainless steel vats to retain the pure fruit character with French oak influence to impart complexity. The wine underwent 100% malolactic conversion, resulting in a softer texture. The wine was lightly filtered prior to bottling.