Thelema Chardonnay

VITICULTURAL PRACTICES

Varietal Chardonnay – Clones CY3 & CY5
Root stock 101 – 14, R110
Soil type Hutton – decomposed granite
Age of vines Planted 1985, 1986
Plant density 3432 vines per hectare
Trellising Vertical hedge
Pruning 2-bud spurs every 12cm
Yield 7-11 t/ha
Irrigation Supplementary drip
Vintage The 2015 was the earliest recorded vintage to date! Cool summer days with very little rain,

resulted in ideal growing conditions for the vines.Grape sugar 22.0 – 22.8 °B
Acidity 7.03 – 8.35 g/l
pH at harvest 3.21 – 3.31

WINEMAKING PRACTICES

Yeasts D522
Fermentation temp 19 °C
Method De-stalked, crushed, pressed & settled in horizontal stainless steel tanks before the clear

juice was fermented in 228 L French oak barrels.

Wood maturation 10 months in French oak barrels, 35% new, and the balance in 3rd/4th fill.
Battonage Barrels stirred for several months.
Second Fermentation The majority of this bottling completed malolactic fermentation in barrel

Food Pairing

Full flavoured dishes such as lobster, tuna, chicken and pork.