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Bress 2008 'Silver Chook' Macedon Chardonnay

The Name

Whilst living and winemaking in the Yarra Valley, I discovered the joys of breeding and showing chickens.  This passion led me to visit France in 1996 to witness first hand their traditional methods of breeding chickens and I dedicate our wines to the famous chickens of France and what they represent – artisan production using traditional, age old methods.

The Vineyard

This Chardonnay was grown at the Mount Macedon vineyard.  The Mount Macedon vineyard is situated 650 metres above sea level and is one of the coolest sites in the Macedon Ranges. The vineyard is subject to particularly cool mornings due to hillside shading which results in a prolonged growing season, which produces intensely flavoured fruit. The old vines are 20 years old and the young vines are 12 years old.  All vines were caned pruned and crop thinned to produce crops of less than 2.5 tonnes to the acre.

Winemaking

My winemaking belief is that good fruit should be treated gently and with minimal intervention.  The Bress 2008 ‘Silver Chook’ Macedon Chardonnay was treated in this manner. The fruit was destemmed and not crushed and gently pressed directly to predominantly stainless steel tanks and approximately 15% seasoned French oak hogsheads. Fermentation was conducted on 100 percent solids and by only indigenous yeast. Malolactic fermentation was not encouraged in the tank component and the wine spent 3 months on lees, which were stirred regularly. Prior to bottling the wine was not fined and was given minimal filtration to ensure maximum retention of the fine flavours inherent in this wine.

Tasting Notes

This wine has been made in a Chablis style; that is a fresh young wine that relies on fruit intensity and lovely natural acidity to give the wine length. If you like Chablis, then this wine is for you.

• Colour: A vibrant and pristine light golden straw with green tinges.  
• Aroma: The wine offers a complex array of fruit aromas of white peach, grapefruit and nectarine. 
• Palate: The wine is tightly packed full of fine fruit flavours of grapefruit and other citrus and white peach. Lees stirring has beautifully integrated the fruit and natural acidity in the wine, giving the wine balance and a savoury mid palate richness. 
  

Whilst enjoyable now, this wine will reward careful cellaring for up to 3 years.