2022 Moss Wood Chardonnay 750ml

All the fruit was hand picked and then delivered to the winery where bunches were sorted and transferred to the presses.  The pressed juice was clarified in stainless steel then seeded with multiple yeast strains for primary fermentation.  Once underway, temperatures were controlled to 18°C.  At the halfway stage, once the aggressive yeast growth is completed and the heat production moderates, the juice was racked to wood.  All the barrels were 228 litre French oak and 54% were new.  After a full malolactic fermentation, all the barrels were blended, the finished wine was adjusted and returned to oak, where it stayed for 16 months, until June 2023.  It was then racked to stainless steel, where fining trials were carried out but none improved the wine, so it is unfined.  It was then sterile filtered and bottled on 4^th July, 2023.

TASTING NOTES

Colour and condition:
Medium straw hue with green tints.  Bright condition.

Nose:

Classic Moss Wood Chardonnay showing bright aromas of peach, white nectarine, rock melon, limes, malt biscuit and roast cashew.  The background has multiple components with a touch of minerality as well as caramel, butter, cloves and soft, spicy oak.

Palate:

The initial impression is one of freshness, with bright grapefruit, melon, peach and butterscotch flavours, some might say custard tart, sitting over fresh acid and full body, an unctuous combination.  The tannin structure is firm but clean, with no bitterness and then there is a spicy, toasty oak note on the finish.