Yarra Valley Reserve Release Chardonnay 2008
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 with texture.
Vintage Conditions
The 2007-2008 growing season was warm and dry. Cooler conditions with some rain closer to harvest gave some lovely humid conditions ideal for Chardonnay. 2008 was a lovely year for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Winemaking
Fruit is ‘Estate Grown’ from one of our oldest vineyards planted in 1986 and extended in 1990. The site is planted in a N-S row orientation and faces mainly south. The soils are highly mineral Humevale siltstone which give us some of our most interesting wine. The grapes are hand picked and whole bunch crushed and pressed to extract some good phenolics for texture
and minerality. The juice is allowed to ferment naturally in older French oak casks. Lees are stirred regularly until spring. Fine, elegant, delicious vintage. 10 months in older French oak casks – 225 L barriques.
Wine Analysis
Alc/Vol: 12.0 % pH: 3.30 TA: 5.8 g/L
Cellaring
Now or over the next 4-5 years in a good cellar.
Suggested Cuisine
Fried John Dory (Saint Pierre) with capers, butter and parsley - just the ticket!
General Characteristics
Dry Medium Bodied
91 Points
"Apricot kernel, graphite, oatmeal, matchstick and minerally notes. Good acidity and intensity."
Ken Gargett, Courier Mail, October 2011
96 Points
"First-rate, with crystalline fruit deftly balanced with restrained oak and mineral undertones. A smoky fragrance of grapefruit, melon, lime juice and ginger with undertones of charcuterie meats, cinnamon and nutmeg precedes a smooth, creamy but reserved and laid-back palate. Its tangy core of bright fruit gently pervades all down the palate, supported by the finest of chalky undercarriages and finishing with delight composition and harmony."
Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2012, October 2011
Lean and simple. AG
Savoury style with a soft palate and an elegant nutty finish. SW
Andrew Graham and Sharon Wild, National Liquor News, September 2011
96 Points
"Pale, vibrant colour, fine, fragrant, polished and poised, with pear, lemon, spice and fennel; the palate is soft on entry, showing some development, yet racy acidity draws in the focus to a laser-like intensity; as the finish continues unabated; racy, modern and exciting at a lowly 12% alc."
James Halliday, Wine Companion 2012, August 2011
5 Gold Stars
91 Points
"A very exciting wine as it evolves rapidly and confidently from the fleshy to the finer savoury end of Australian chardonnay, offering a bold and brave view of where our wines could go. Elegant, subtle, burgundian complexity, with savoury richness and subtle oak giving roundness and great length."
Robert Geddes, Australian Wine Vintages 2012, July 2011
USA
91 Points
"The 2008 Reserve Release Chardonnay is still very youthful, offering subtle aromas of white peaches, lemon curd, apple tart and meal with a slight whiff of cedar. Light to medium bodied, it has a good backbone of high acid, nice suggestion of creaminess to the texture and a long stone fruit laced finish. Just approachable now, it should continue to evolve and drink well to 2016."
Lisa Perotti-Brown, eRobertParker, June 2011
94 Points
"Terrific purity here with freshly sliced melon, citrus and stone fruits. Nice complex palate texture, quite grippy and dense, finishing with peach nougat and handy resolve."
Nick Stock, Wine 100, March 2011
Copyright 2008 De Bortoli Wines. All Rights Reserved.
