Gulf Station Chardonnay 2010
Region
Yarra Valley
Appearance
Light straw with a green edge.
Bouquet
Complex nutty mineral chardonnay.
Palate
Tight lean citrus like fruit with hazelnut undertones. Long flavoured palate,
creamy, fine, good texture.
Vintage Conditions
In 2010 we experienced a cool growing season with timely rainfall. Fruit was mature and expressive at balanced alcohol and acidity levels. Picking dates ranged from mid February to early March.
Winemaking
Fruit is selected from our estate vineyards at Dixons Creek and Tarrawarra as well as some select vineyards in the upper Yarra. Grapes are both whole bunch pressed as well as crushed to give a range of phenolics for complexity and texture. The juice is allowed to ferment naturally in new and used French oak casks as well as some high solids tank fermetation. Lees are stirred regularly until spring and final assembling of the blend.
Wine Analysis
Alc/Vol : 12.5 % pH : 3.33 TA : 6.2 g/L
Cellaring
Now or over the next 2- 4 years in a good cellar.
Suggested Cuisine
Tuna, chilli and pasta - a favourite in our house.
General Characteristics
Dry Medium Bodied
"This was a good year for chardonnay in the Yarra Valley and this excellent wine shows all the light cereal-cashew and minerally character you might expect from this variety. A small amount of oak has been added to the palate structure while the fine acid ensures the finish is long and controlled."
Ray Jordan, The West Australian - Top 100 Wines, December 2011
92 Points
Utilises a mix of estate-grown and contract grown fruit. 100% Yarra Valley, and is made in the well-established De Bortoli style, with deliberately low levels of french oak (part-fermented in stainless steel tanks) and frequent lees stirring. The net result is a complex yet elegant wine, the elegance enhanced by the early picking and high natural acidity the flavours are much more in the grapefruit citrus range than stone fruit.
James Halliday , 1001 Wines Under $20, 2012, December 2011
USA
86 Points
The 2010 Gulf Station Chardonnay has aromas of lemon peel, orange blossom and grapefruit over a core of apples and fresh pears. Light to medium-bodied, it has refreshing acid and good concentration of pure citrus and apple flavors, finishing medium-long. Drinking now, it should remain fresh through 2013.
Lisa Perotti-Brown, Wine Advocate , December 2011
94 Points
"Is there a finer Chardonnay under $20 anywhere in the world? Premium Yarra Valley fruit with years of potential in the cellar, thanks to honed minerality and precision of grapefruit and white peach."
Tyson Stelzer, Wine 100, August 2011
This is made solely from Yarra Valley grapes but is less expensive than the
top De Bortoli because some fruit comes from other growers. There’s no compromise in quality though with lime and stone fruit on the nose and a finely structured, sophisticated palate. Crisp acid balances the oak. Good with prawns. Widely available.
Jeff Collerson, The Daily Telegraph, July 2011
4/5
"This De Bortoli chardonnay has been great value for many years, and recent editions have been more subtly complex than previously. The wild yeastfermented 2010 has melon, pear and almond-creamy aromas that are appetising and savoury, followed in the mouth by restrained, complex
flavour, good textural interest and a soft, dry ending."
, The Age, July 2011
89 Points
"Restrained is a good word for an overall description; nothing stands out as being great but then nothing suggests the opposite and being close to $20 its amongst tough competitio."
Tony Keys, , July 2011
"Windy Peak - sourced from various Victorian regions, including the King and Yarra Valleys - is the softer of the two, in a subtle, taut but generous way. In Gulf Station, high acidity accentuates the lean, citrusy varietal flavour teasing its way through the richly textured, bone-dry palate. Both wines drink well now, but I expect the Gulf Station to gain complexity over the next 3-4 years."
Chris Shanahan, Canberra Times, June 2011
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