Windows Estate- Petit Lot Chardonnay 2023

Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Chardonnay
Appellation: Margaret River GI
Sulphur (SO2): Free 25ppm- Total 91ppm
Sugar: Dry
Acid: 7.3 g/L
pH: 3.26
Production Size: 5,150 bottles
Altitude: 104-113m - 342.3-369.5ft
Vineyard Age: 20 years (Violette's block) and 12 years (Lucas's block)
Residual Sugar: 0.6 g/L
Tannin: None
Alcohol %: 12.2

Produced from the two more mineral based sites, Violette’s and Lucas’ block,s four clones of Chardonnay have been planted to bring complex layers from the vineyard site. Half of Violette’s block has North South facing rows, this is where the power for the Chardonnay originates, the East West facing rows in Violette’s block delivering the grapefruit core and contribute the natural acidity. Lucas’s block provides a more subtle stone fruit and linear minerality.

Soil Type(s): Granite, clay and quartz studded with ironstone

Hand picked, whole bunch pressed straight to oak. Natural ferment, using native yeasts. Different clones aged on lees differently. Aged for 11 months in french oak a mixture of barriques and puncheons.

2023 was an interesting vintage on the farm with aspects of both a cooler and warmer season. Spring was consistently cool and somewhat wet for budburst through to flowering however the rain eased off in November and began a dry, warm growing season. Harvest dates for the whites were in line with 2018 which was a surprise to us given it was such a different season. When the warmer weather began in November there was no extreme heat, it was simply very consistently warm and moderate meaning very little to no disease pressure in our vineyard and grapes ripening with even temperatures rather than having to deal with spikes in heat. The cooler nights over the growing season have resulted in the retention of excellent natural acidity and beautiful aromatics, whilst the warmer days have brought richer fruit and weight. There was a lack of marri blossom on the farm and thus we naturally expected the birds to move in, however, they never arrived. The numbers of the larger cockatoo’s exploded on the farm last year, every evening we would see flocks of hundreds of birds flying around the farm and we suspect the presence of the larger birds drove the silvereyes elsewhere.

Oysters, Shellfish, Crudo, Sashimi, Pan-fried Sole or Any White Fish, Halibut or Rabbit Rilletes, Radish, Celery, Apple pie

• Japanese, American, French, Vegetarian, Coastal