Picked early at 12.5° Beaumé, the Chardonnay was gently pressed off and the majority fermented in stainless steel to preserve the fresh aromas of citrus fruits and tight acidity and structure. A small component was barrel fermented; some wild ferment; the balance high solids ferment. The Viognier, true to its variety, required longer on the vine for the grapes to reach full flavour, ripeness and texture, and was picked at about 14.0° Beaumé. This component of the wine was fermented in older French barriques.

Technical Details: Picking Dates: 2nd March 2006/ 4th March 2006 (Chardonnay) 25th March 2006 (Viognier)
Blend: Chardonnay 85% Viognier 15%
pH Level 3.33
Total Acidity: 7.35 g/L
Residual Sugar: 2.8 g/L
Alc/ Vol: 13.2%
Bottling Date: 16th August 2006

Vintage 2006: Terrific winter and spring rains resulted in the growth of big vine canopies, which were more than able to protect the grapes from the spike in heat that occurred in late January. The post January ripening conditions were almost ideal, with lower than average temperatures and no rain whatsoever.