2021 Keepers of the Flame

TASTING NOTES:

Nose:    Struck match, citrus blossom, lemon leaf, almond blossom and white peach  

Colour: Pale straw with green hues 

Palate:   Lemon and lime pith, citrus blossom, hints of flint with pear and oyster shell. Flint and graphite shows on the after palate with layers of white peach and nectarine. Hiding in behind is a little oak, a touch of almond but more of an elegant style of chardonnay with nice acid.

WINEMAKING:

This was the last parcel of Chardonnay picked in the season. Purely free run juice, drained into barrels with full solids and left to start ferment naturally. The cooler vintage conditions meant that the fruit held its naturally higher acidity. Around two thirds of the barrels used in the final blend went naturally through malolactic fermentation, which gives this wine an added layer of texture on the nose and creaminess on the palate. The wine spent 10 months in new French oak barriques and puncheons.

Watch Jerome's 2021 Keepers of the Flame tasting note in this short video (2m 45s watch time).