2000 MadFish Chardonnay Tasting Notes

A good, warm start to the 2000 season was followed by the arrival, in Northern Western Australia, of tropical cyclone “Steve”. The associated heavy rainfall reached the South-West during the second half of March. Fortunately, in the pursuit of citrus-based flavours, we were able to harvest the Chardonnay prior to any significant rain. Select parcels of free-run juice were fermented, and matured for 11 months, in new and 1-year old French barriques. Following the completion of fermentation, a portion of the wine was left on yeast lees, stirred weekly and allowed to undergo controlled Malolactic fermentation.

The wine is light straw in colour, with fresh green tinges. Aromas of floral citrus and stone fruit are teamed with toasty French oak and complex savoury characters derived from lees stirring and malolactic fermentation.
The palate is supple and seamless, with initial flavours of grapefruit and peach leading on to a richly textured mid-palate and finishing with a balance of vanillin oak and fresh citrus acids.

The fine structure of this wine suggests improvements over the next 3 to 5 years.