2022 Cooinda Vale Chardonnay

3.15

7.4g/L

8 months maturation in 35% new French oak barriques then a further 2 months in tank.

Dry

The lead-up to 2022 vintage included one of the wettest winters on record, a cool drying spring into summer with high humidity. All these factors led to healthy canopies and bunch numbers. The cool conditions, especially around the time of flowering resulted in some poor fruitset in earlier flowering varieties. This delivered a combination of small and large size berries to form reducing the overall yields and intake in those varieties. The vintage started a couple of days later than usual, but with the high humidity/lowered diurnal range, our late ripening varieties were picked slightly earlier than usual. Overall, a quality vintage.

Cooinda Vale Vineyard was established in 1985 by Pooley’s founders, Margaret and Dennis Pooley. Sitting between 80-100m above sea level, the vineyard is tucked away in a nook of hills North of Campania making it much more protected from prevailing weather conditions. Being more continental it also experiences greater extremes in temperatures bringing more frequent frosts, snow and heat waves. The iron lacking grey brown sandy loam over clay subsoils at this site tend to bring a moderate level of struggle to the vines by restricting deep root growth and water accessibility but in turn creates a wine that is more delicate and finer.

Hand-picked, chilled to 5 degrees overnight. Whole bunch pressed to tank, then put to barrel the next morning. Wild, barrel fermentation for 20 days. 8 months maturation in 35% new French oak barriques (80% Marcel Cadet and 20% St Martin). Transferred to tank for 2 months with minimal lees stirring. 40% malolactic fermentation.

Soft aromas of green apple, buttered toast, and grapefruit perfume the nose. The palate is generous with notes of stone fruit, beeswax and lemon with nashi pear. Beautifully balanced with a long finish.

2022 Cooinda Vale Chardonnay Technical Note (1).pdf