Joshua Cooper - Captains Creek Vineyard - Chardonnay 2019

Certified Organic since 1985 (NASAA). The vineyard is planted to pinot noir and chardonnay on a raised well-drained northerly slope, at around 500m altitude, close to the modern farmstead and covers 4ha.

Due to the cool, windy nature of the site, the fruit typically ripens at a low sugar level, with small berries, thick skins and with a high proportion of millerandange and hen and chicken.

Once hand harvested in the cool of morning, with carful sorting in the vineyard, the grapes are partially foot crushed then very gently, slowly pressed over four or so hours. The juice was then settled for 24 hours then racked with all but the very coarse solids to Burgundian piece, and Stockinger thick staved 600l demi-muid. The wine sees one year in oak on full lees, no stirring, and no racking, then transferred to stainless steel with all the fine lees for a further four months elevage. Before racking and bottling, unfined and unfiltered. The only addition to the wine is a small dose of sulphur.