Both the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc were hand-picked and brought to the winery, where they underwent the same winemaking process. The fruit was hand-sorted and whole-bunch pressed before the juice was clarified by flotation and inoculated with a selection of yeast strains for primary fermentation in stainless steel tanks.
Ripening took place over a slightly shorter period than this region usually sees. Yields were down but quality was up. This is the fourth vintage of the Ribbon Vale Chardy and it has established itself as a fine addition to the range. The wine saw nine months maturation in French oak barriques, 47% of which was new. A deep gold colour here, this is big, bold and rich. A Chardy chockers with flavour. What is exciting is that we are already seeing the early emergence of complexity. - 94 points, Ken Gargett
