2005 MadFish Premium White Tasting Notes

The 2004 Winter was much drier than usual leading to low soil moisture levels when the vines came out of dormancy in Spring. This lead to lower fruit set than would be normally expected. The remainder of the season was also fairly dry and cool with the exception of some heavy rain in mid February. Fortunately this rain did little damage to the Chardonnay grapes and the resulting fruit was clean and intact. Due to the dry year berries tended to be much smaller than is normal resulting in more fully flavoured fruit.

The fruit for this wine was exclusively sourced from the cooler regions of the lower South West of Western Australia where Chardonnay tends to develop a range of flavours from the leaner cirtus end of the spectrum up to the fuller nectarine and melon characters.

This wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks without the interference of oak to allow the complex fruit characters to dominate the palate. Low fermentation temperatures allow the evolution of flavoursome esters and linked with a non-oxidative regime and early bottling has also preserved the fruit flavours and characters of the cool climate Chardonnay used to make this wine.

The wine is of a pale straw appearance with tints of green. The nose exhibits a wonderful aromatic drive bursting with fruity esters. It is further complexed by the combination of the riper white peach and melon aromas with the finer grapefruit and citris characters. The palate like the nose is also complex with many layers of fruit flavours and a clean fine structure. Again the riper fruit characters balance well with the leaner more elegant citrus flavours. The finish is generous and long with a clean acid thrust.

This wine can be enjoyed immediately but the fine acid structure and balance will reward those who can resist temptation. Cellar this wine for up to three years.