2003 saw excellent winter rains which brought an end to a long drought and filled the soils and dams with plenty of water. Conditions during the growing season were mild and average crops flowered and set. There was a period of hot weather in early February but Heggies Vineyard's canopy cover meant no sunburn eventuated. The remaining days leading up to harvest were sunny and mild with cool nights, ideal for producing Chardonnay grapes of style and substance. There are a number of different clones of Chardonnay at Heggies Vineyard with the French Bernard selections being favoured. The younger plantings are trained to a vertically shoot-positioned canopy and the older vines on a two wire vertical framework; this gives a range of flavour opportunities. These vines are shy bearing, producing grapes of intense flavour. Hand picking and gentle pressing minimises the extraction of skin phenolic and preserves natural fruit aromas. This picking and pressing regime results in fine juice with light solids, which is then fermented in new and previously used French oak barrels using native yeast strains. The wine remained in contact with its yeast lees and was stirred on a three week cycle which has increased palate texture and mouthfeel. The definitive assemblage was conducted mid December 2004 with only those barrels deemed superior making the final cut.

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2004


Eden Valley


Peter Gambetta


22nd March to 16th April 2004


Fermented & matured for 10 months in new French oak barriques (35%), one year old French oak barriques & hogsheads (32%), balance in older French oak barriques & hogsheads.


14.5%


5.7 g/L


3.46