2018 Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Chardonnay

Pale straw in colour. The noose has dried apricots, lemon and gunflint. The barrels add hints of hay and caramel. In the mouth the wine is tense, creamy and full bodies with a fresh, long finish.

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Viticulture

After a very warm and dry season, the grapes were harvested starting as early as 28th February and finishing on 21st March. Harvest occured at night, with an ambient temperature of around 8ºC (47ºF).

All fruit was sourced from our vineyard - located within the coolest, westernmost reaches of the Casablanca Valley. Sourced from blocks planted with un-grafted Chardonnay of the "Mendoza clone" on yellow sandy loams in 1997. The Mendoza selection has low yields of small, thick-skinned berries. Cropped at an average of 2.5 tons per hectare (1.0 tons per acre).

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Vinification

Upon arrival at the winery all grapes were first destemmed and crushed to the pneumatic press. The resulting juices were racked to stainless steel tanks, inoculated with selected yeasts and gravity fed to a mixture of second to fifth use French oak barrels. Temperatures during the fermentation in barrel peaked at 12ºC (78ºF). After fermentation had finished the barrels underwent some malolactic fermentation, but sulphured before completion to better preserve the acidity. Bâttonage was carried out weekly during the first month, and then three times during the following 10 months. After a total of 11 months in barrel the wine was gently nitrogen racked to tank to be stabilized and filtered. It was then bottled on 8th November 2018.