Woodstock Chardonnay

We have been proudly making and enjoying Chardonnay at WOODSTOCK since 1984. Our aim is to capture the natural flavours of the Chardonnay variety and enhance them with modest barrel fermentation and maturation. In the mid-eighties, the style was much bolder, riper and oak driven, but over time the style has become more delicate, to grow in complexity with bottle age. When deciding the harvesting date for McLaren Vale Chardonnay, we look for a ‘sherbet’ characters and crisp natural acidity, without being golden berry colours. The Chardonnay juice was wild fermented (no added yeast strains) in selected new oak hogsheads, slowly filled day by day as the ferments slowed down. About 50 – 60% secondary fermentation (malolactic fermentation) was completed in these same barrels.Youthful pale straw colour with a captivating nose of citrus fruit and well integrated buttery oak nuances. The palate is well structured with the citrus fruit profile balanced by a taut, mineral backbone finish. Traces of buttered toast can be found on both nose and palate, with a creamy, elegant texture. Expect these characters to grow with cool cellaring for 8 -10 years.  Enjoy with salmon fish cakes and a spring salad on the side.