Dutschke - Barossa Valley

2011 "86 Block" Chardonnay

Chardonnay has been growing quite happily on the St Jakobi vineyard since the early-mid 1980s. We have three separate blocks planted in 1980, 1985 and 1986 and are some of the earlier plantings of Chardonnay in the Barossa Valley. It was the block planted in 1986 that we chose to use to make our 2011 Chardonnay. The 86 Block had always been a consistent performer in providing fruit suited to give wines great flavour and finesse.

It was 1998 when we produced our last Chardonnay wine and the styles from this variety have changed a fair bit since then. In making this wine our aim was to produce a wine that was crisp, mouth filling and flavoursome without being heavily influenced by oak. The fruit was harvested at 12 Baume and crushed with only the free run juice used. Only a small proportion (15%) was barrel fermented in new French Oak Hogsheads with 100% of the volume going through Malo Lactic Fermentation following the primary ferment.

As a young wine this Chardonnay shows fresh citrus like fruit flavours and is dry and crisp. With time it will soften and fill to show more rounded fruit driven flavours and become more mouth filling. We trust you’ll enjoy it!