Chardonnay “Winemakers Reserve” 2019 – Berton Vineyard

The grapes to produce the Chardonnay Winemakers Reserve Berton Vineyard were gently pressed and fermented with selected yeasts under cool conditions for 14 days. The wines were matured on their lees for a period of six to eight weeks adding texture and complexity to the wine. A proportion of this maturation took place in French oak puncheons, with the remainder on premium oak staves. The wines were blended to achieve a fresh style with soft oak influences.

The Chardonnay grapes come from two vineyards in Coonawarra and Padthaway, in the Limestone Coast zone, which is located in the southeastern part of South Australia. The climate is mainly maritime, with coastal breezes creating cooler
conditions – ideal for cultivating Chardonnay. The cooler temperatures during the night promote a longer hang time, concentrating the flavours in the grapes while retaining a refreshing acidity. The limestone soils found across the zone are well-draining and rich in nutrients. There is a healthy water table beneath the sub-soil which helps to reduce the need for irrigation. The fruit was harvested in the middle of the night under cool conditions, retaining fresh fruit flavours and minimising oxidation.

Established by Bob and Cherie Berton in May 1996, Berton Vineyard is one of the most important wine producers in Australia. The estate covers 30 hectares of land located on gently rolling hills at 450 metres above sea level, in a subregion of Eden Valley in South Australia. The superb Reserve Shiraz and Reserve Chardonnay wines are still sourced from this plot. In 2007, Bob purchased the Yenda winery in the heart of the Riverina. This state-of-the-art facility has the capacity to process 20,000 tonnes and enables Berton Vineyard to produce value for money wines which sit alongside their premium single-vineyard offerings.