| Winemaker's Notes: |
2007 Framingham Marlborough Chardonnay is blended from 3 base wines from 4 different sites around Marlborough’s Wairau Valley. Different clones and soil profiles each contribute to complexity and structure in the finished wine. The finished wine comprises both barrel and tank fermented base wines. Mendoza clone grapes, around 50% of the finished wine, were harvested by hand and the bunches pressed whole. The resultant juices were fermented in new and seasoned French oak barriques with selected yeast strains. Once fermentation was complete, malolactic fermentation was induced; both to soften the high natural acidity of the Mendoza clone and add complexity. At the same time, batonnage (lees stirring) was carried out weekly, providing good mouthfeel and some additional complexity. Wines in barrel were matured for 9 months, then blended with the fruit driven tank-fermented component. The resultant blend was fined, filtered and bottled under screwcap to preserve freshness, flavour and integrity.
The bouquet is restrained and complex, with aromatics reminiscent of stonefruit and guava, with savoury oatmeal, wet stone and supporting smoky oak notes.
The palate again shows some restraint, with melon, guava and stonefruit flavours laid over integrated oak and complex, lees-derived oatmeal notes. Fine acid balance and soft phenolics provide a long, creamy finish with a distinct wet stone, mineral flourish. |
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