Good old fashioned Chardonnay, without the overly oily mouthfeel or imbalanced oak. Zesty, bright, unflabby and delightful. Part barrel and tank fermented. Full malo. Oxidatively treated to produce a nutty praline over lime finish. This catches the beauty of Australian chardonnay, young, fresh but still with a traditional backbone.
Awards and Accolades
2015 Vintage: 93 Points - James Halliday, Wine Companion "Hand-picked, whole bunch-pressed, settled overnight, then racked to French oak (25% new) for wild fermentation and 9 months maturation. Stacked full of flavour; honeydew melon, white peach, apple and citrus. Early release a good move."
From the Winery
The now 25 year old vines produce the core of the quality and concentration that is expected from Curlewis wines. Our proximity to the southern ocean ensures cool ripening and highly varietal pinot noir flavours. The vineyard is on black cracking clay over limestone, a combination that produces deep coloured yet elegant wines.
The Curlewis wine district and town is named after Septimus Lord Curlewis, its first settler in 1840. Rainer Breit and Wendy Oliver bought the tiny 4 acre pinot noir plot in 1997 and proceeded to put in a Burgundian winery.
Absorbing the wine-making styles of Burgundy and Rhone, Rainer and Wendy set out to take advantage of the consistent climate and incorporate some newer techniques to create wines of greater concentration and flavour ripeness.
This philosophy accompanies their dedication to achieving a full length of palate. This winery strives for the Grand Cru Burgundy standard, almost reaching that quality at a tenth of the price.