Collector Tiger Tiger Chardonnay 2021

Season
The 2020/21 growing season was marked by moist and cool conditions throughout, with vines exhibiting luscious growth, but very modest yields, as they recovered from the prior years of drought. A long, cool ripening period enabled stress-free ripening and very memorable accumulation of aromatics and grape acid.

Viticulture
Vineyard blocks are variously located between 610 and 760m altitude at the foothills of the Snowy Mountains. The sites offer exceptional conditions for growing Chardonnay at the cool margin. The soil is deep, well-drained, weathered granite.

Winemaking
The grapes were harvested at just over 12 Baumé, with 10+ g/L acid. The fruit was whole bunch pressed and run to a mix of new and seasoned Allier and Vosges oak for fermentation. Parcels underwent varying degrees of malolactic fermentation, and were aged on lees, before blending and bottling in December 2021.

Taste
The wine is fresh on the nose with aromas of white flowers, grapefruit and flint. A changing and complex wine of depth and concentration that with time in the glass reveals lemon curd, brioche and spent matchsticks. The palate is focussed, mouth-filling and long. The wine will metamorphose and take on complexity with age.