Winemaker: David Lowe, contract winemaker in Mudgee.

Grape selection: The 2005 season started badly, with severe frost just after budburst and hail on Christmas Eve. To ensure balanced growth and proper ripeness, we “green-pruned” any less-ripe fruit in January. Apart from some rain shortly before harvest, we enjoyed a long Indian summer, allowing balanced and full fruit development. David Lowe selected particular rows from the G5V9 clonal section. Hand-picking was used to select the premium bunches in these rows. The grapes were left on the vine a little longer to extract full value from the growing conditions. The alcohol is higher than last year, but the elegance remains.

Wine-making: David utilised a whole bunch pressing process, with the berries gently popped to avoid the extra maceration and phenolics (from the skins) in the grape receival bin, auger and crusher. Only free-run juice was used, discarding the last 10% of available juice from the skins (high in the phenolics and oils which produce the typical Chardonnay mouth-feel). The fermentation process was started in steel and the wine was progressively drained off into barrels – each barrel having a different mix of time in steel and oak. The cool initial ferment preserved the aromatics. The barrel fermentation was allowed to finish hot, for texture and integration of the oak. No malo-lactic fermentation was allowed, preserving the elegant structure of the wine. The barrels were carefully selected French oak with limited porosity, to minimise any “oaky” overtones. The aim was for a delicate fresh finish.

Description of Wine: The wine is pale straw in colour with an attractive citrus aroma. The palate reflects the refined intensity of cool climate fruit, with particular emphasis on clean fresh citrus complexity – rather than the traditional Chardonnay fruit flavours of peaches and melons. It also avoids the dominant “buttery” mouth-feel of many Australian Chardonnays. Overall it offers a creamy/burnished golden palate, with a refreshing citrus/mineral backbone adding purity and clean lines. Higher than last year in alcohol, the wine is still elegant and complex. Over the next twelve months, it will develop further levels of complexity in the bottle. It is a chardonnay for drinkers tired of the traditional chardonnay format.

Cellaring Potential: The wine is very pleasant drinking now. It should continue to improve until about 2014, with correct cellaring.

Best Food Matches: Amandine Chardonnay is ideal with creamy seafood (lobster, prawns, etc). It is well matched to white meats and veal.