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    2012 Dexter Chardonnay

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    Analysis at Harvest

    Sugar 21 to 21.8 Brix

    pH 3.19 to 3.30

    Acid 5.6 to 7.8 TA

    Harvest date First week of March – back to “normal”.

    Clones P58 (44%), I10V5 (34%), Bernard 95 (11%), Bernard 277 (11%)

    Vintage Notes

    This was one of the best seasons we have seen, as good as 2010 and maybe even better. No extremes in weather and a good steady ripening period meant harvest occurred during the first week of March, which is our long term norm.

    Winemaking

    Hand-picked fruit was gently whole-bunch pressed into a tank and settled overnight. It was then transferred into French oak barriques (20% New, 80% second, third and fourth use) and inoculated with a neutral yeast. From May until late winter the barrels were stirred every two weeks until MLF was completed.

    For this vintage 25% was prevented from going through MLF to retain acid. The wine was left on yeast lees until December when it was transferred to tank for a further month on lees. The wine was bottled in January 2013, 10 months after harvest.

    Wine Analysis

    Alcohol 13.1%

    pH 3.09

    Acid 6.5g/l

    Sugar 0.64 g/l

    Nose

    Aromas of lemon, white peach, nectarine and floral notes combined with subtle oak.

    Palate

    Similar to previous vintages in its elegance and fineness after a near perfect 2012 vintage. Subtle flavours reflective of the aromas – particularly lemon, nectarine, white peach and elegant oak. The wine has a soft middle palate with good length and a nice acid balance. Similar in structure to the 2010 vintage but perhaps more linear.