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Vineyard Chalk Hill Viticulture Lanark Vineyard
Viticulturalist: Jonahon James Harvey
Working closely with our friends at Chalk Hill Viticulture, we planted Grillo at The Lanark Vineyard at the top of Chapel Hill Road in Blewitt Springs in October 2015. The site was deliberately selected for several reasons. The elevation was important because McLaren Vale can get quite hot during our long summers. Elevated vineyards cool quicker at night time thanks to prevailing sea-breezes from the Gulf of Saint Vincent. Cooler night time temperatures help the vines to recover from hot daytime conditions and ultimately retain fruit flavour and high natural acidity. The aspect is east facing to protect the vines from the harsh afternoon sun and wind.
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The fruit remained on skins for 48 hours to build texture and enhance minerality. Must was then pressed straight to old French oak hogsheads. Oak is important to soften and polymerise phenolics from the skin contact. We use aged oak to ensure the fruit remains the star of the show and oak flavours are kept to a minimum. No acid, enzymes or fining agents were added and primary fermentation was spontaneous using indigenous yeasts. Lees were stirred post primary fermentation to build mouthfeel and add an extra dimension to the flavour. In addition lees stirring helped encourage natural Malo-lactic fermentation, adding a beautiful richness to the palate, buttery/nuttery character to the natural oyster-shell minerality.
Followed by maturation for 10 months at a cool constant temperature to preserve freshness.