Deen Vat 7 Chardonnay 2010
Region
South Eastern Australia
Appearance
Pale straw in colour.
Bouquet
Lifted nose of white peach, with soft vanillin/almond oak characters adding complexity.
Palate
A medium bodied wine showing citrus fruit and floral flavours, finishing with a creamy nutty texture.
Vintage Conditions
The lead up to vintage 2010 saw quite mild growing conditions and some rainfall. The rain abated for half of vintage, January through to middle of February with disease pressure being very low during this time. January and February night temperatures were quite mild allowing fruit to ripen and retain good acidity.
Winemaking
90% Chardonnay, 7% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Arnies Blend. 39% of fruit was sourced from cool climate King Valley region. 31% of fruit came from 1 vineyard in the warm climate Riverina. 20% of fruit came from the cool climate Yarra Valley region. 4% came from Canberra. 6% other regions. All fruit is harvested in the cool of the night. No preservatives such as SO2 are added until bottling. Warm fermentation and extended lees contact are employed to give a wine full of flavour and structure.
Wine Analysis
Alc/Vol : 12.50 % pH : 3.34 TA : 6.05 g/L
Cellaring
This wine will develop in the bottle over the next 3 to 5 years.
Suggested Cuisine
A great match to chicken, seafood and light pasta dishes.
General Characteristics
Dry Medium Bodied
"This elegant drop begins with a good concentration of fruity sweet peach and melon flavours and develops with the subtle hints of oak and nuts. The texture is characteristic of a well-made Chardonnay, crisp and dry, and its well-balanced delivery makes for an overall tasty and satisfying experience."
Jenna Meade, Geelong Advertiser, January 2012
"The Deen De Bortoli Vat 7 Chardonnay has a bright, yet pale lemony straw colour without that heavy oaky colour. You will enjoy the complexity of the bouquet here - again yellow peach, almonds / nuttiness, and really reminicent of.. Chardonnay. It's suffice, exactly what you would expect. Very pleasant. An oaked Chardonnay with a nice leaness about it. It's there but if you might forget you don't drink oaked chardonnay. It's definitely not new oak, but it's got a nice rounded palate with full display of peach, and a madarin and a hint of rock melon. True varietal characters. A nice level of residual sugar remains on the palate - something sure to please the masses, and works really quite well for this wine as its backed up by pleasant acidity."
, Bairnsdale Advertiser, December 2011
88 Points
"It's amazing how the price of this wine has crept up to close the gap on Windy Peak on the one hand and leave similar wines wallowing in it's (Vat 7's) wake. It tastes as if Tumbarumba, the King Valley and the Yarra Valley may all have contributed to any home-grown (Riverina) grapes. Maturation of part for up to 6 months in oak also contributes to the texture (not the flavour) of the wine."
James Halliday, 1001 Wines Under $20, December 2011
USA
86 Points
The 2010 Deen Vat 7 Chardonnay provides aromas of peaches, pineapple, cedar, toast and cream. Medium-bodied and crisp in the mouth, it has good concentration and a nice suggestion of texture, finishing medium-long Drink it now to 2013.
Lisa Perotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, December 2011
Lifted tropical nose, smooth and supple texture with a lingering mineral finish. SW
Great oak and fruit balance. AG
Sharon Wild and Andrew Graham, National Liquor News, September 2011
90 Points
"Everyday Chardonnay with a lift of peach blossom and a hint of butterscotch in a restrained, dry and fruit-focused style with a lingering finish and even a dash of minerality."
Tyson Stelzer, Wine 100, August 2011
88 Points
It's amazing how the price of this wine has crept up to close the gap on Windy Peak on the one hand and leave similar wines wallowing in its (Vat 7's) wake. It tastes as if Tumbarumba, the King Valley and the Yarra Valley may all have contributed to any home-grown (Riverina) grapes. Maturation of part for up to 6 months in oak contributes to the texture (not the flavour)of the wine.
James Halliday , 1001 Wines Under $20, 2012 , ,
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