The Mornington Peninsula climate has changed little since Eocene times, and the Scorpo Family Vineyard in Merricks North is located in the heart of this region. Fossil evidence suggests that the climate is much the same as it was before the Older Volcanics, which means that the vineyard is blessed with a stable climate in most years, and offers the perfect combination of land, aspect, soil type and microclimate.
The fruit is hand-picked, whole bunch pressed and sent directly to old (4 years and older) French barriques for the AUBAINE. The ESTATE and EOCENE chardonnay have 20%new oak, with the rest of the barrels being 1, 2 and 3 year old barrels. When fermentation is finished, the wine is left on lees until the start of malolactic fermentation. It is then sulphured to prevent malolactic. The wine is not stirred. It feeds off the lees (or the mother as the Europeans refer to it) at its own pace. It is bottled after 12 months.
JAMES HALLIDAY 5-STAR WINERY
The 2018 Estate Chardonnay is pale straw with green tints. This Chardonnay is appealing from the outset. A nose of nectarine pip, citrus curd, spice and earth lead into lees and struck match. To begin with the palate is tight and focused with citrus and fennel spice dominating. This gives way to nougat, stone fruit hints with leesy complexity and the acidity of crunchy green apple. Although drinking wonderfully now this will reward those with the patience to cellar or for that matter to decant! This wine cries out for a food pairing like a mixed seafood pasta bake, with white cheese sauce.
13.5% ABV