DE BORTOLI YARRA VALLEY SINGLE VINEYARD SECTION A5 CHARDONNAY

Pale with a green edge. Gentle restrained nose with lifted florals, citrus and brioche. Fine, tightly woven texture, a touch savoury, nutty flavours, noticeable energy and soft acidity.

REGION

Yarra Valley

VINEYARD

The A5 Vineyard was planted in 1976. It is a gentle south west facing Vineyard planted to one of the early clones P58. It produces quite fine boned Chardonnay with terrific ageing potential.

WINEMAKING

Grapes are hand picked, whole bunch crushed, pressed and allowed to settle overnight. The turbid juice is then racked to older french oak casks where it undergoes natural fermentation. Lees are stirred in late autumn and then left to rest on lees until December.

CELLARING

Starting to show it's pedigree and will continue to develop complexity and interest for 10 years in a good cellar.

ADDITONAL INFORMATION

Vegan, Vegetarian

FOOD RECOMMENDATION

Pan fried John Dory with lemon and capers. 

REVIEWS

Hand-picked, whole bunch crushed, wild ferment in used French oak casks. Lees stirred. Mid-yellow. Snow peas, grass, dried herbs, preserved lemon. Assertive, almost brash, definitely on the herbal, grapefruit side. Plenty of moving parts yet to come together, but when they do it will be a lovely, streamlined wine. 94/100

Halliday Wine Companion 2021 August 2020

There is a certain magic to the Chardonnays produced by Steve Webber at De Bortoli Yarra Valley. While the wines are cool-climate Australian, each carries just a little whisper of Burgundy. This single-vineyard wine is made from vines planted 45 years ago that produce chardonnays with exceptional purity of fruit; think a high-quality Pouilly-Fuissé, perhaps. It is a very elegant wine, from a warm season with very appealing elegance and bright natural acid. I like it right now, but it could also cellar for a year or two should you wish. A wine to sip and ponder, maybe with some James Taylor on the stereo. Very composed; very tempting.

Wine of the Week May 2020

Subtle sulfides overlie some straw and hessian oxidative traces. A hint of pawpaw. The palate is light and straightforward with open-knit structure and softness. A very pleasant lighter-weighted chardonnay, with a slightly short finish. 90/100

The Real Review May 2020

De Bortoli’s top Chardonnay is from Dixon’s Creek Winery Estate, on a single-vineyard plot planted in 1976 that’s one of the top parcels in the region. It’s linear yet weighty, with generous green fig, citrus and more exotic fruit flavours. Yering Station is another fine Yarra Chardonnay in the same price range. 91/100.

Decanter January 2020