Flametree SRS Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2016 has just picked up yet another Gold Medal, this time at the Margaret River Wine Show.
Across the Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Margaret River Wine Shows this year this wine has been in the trophy taste off in all of these shows and has picked up 8 Trophies and 5 Golds along with a Consistency of Excellence Medal from Royal Melbourne, which is awarded to an individual wine that is able to achieve a gold medal at three different Royal Melbourne Wine Awards. This was achieved by Flametree’s 2014, 2015 and 2016 SRS Wallcliffe Chardonnay.
After overnight cold storage the Chardonnay fruit was whole bunch pressed into French oak puncheons before undergoing full wild yeast fermentation. To achieve a portion with high grape solids we rotated the press after filling. The key to successful wild fermentation is the use of high turbidity juices, minimal sulphur dioxide, low alcohols and juices with good nutrient content. The 2016 SRS Chardonnay was barrel fermented in 40% new French puncheons and then aged for 10 months. We stirred the lees a few times but not as much as previous vintages.
In much the same mould as the 2014 SRS Chardonnay the 2016 shows lovely purity and freshness of fruit together with some savoury notes from the solids and wild ferment. Classic grapefruit and dried pear fruits give way to barrel ferment and sulphide complexities. These sulphides contribute a lovely savoury oyster shell or saline character, giving the wine greater complexity and overall purity, and ultimately complementing many modern Australian food flavours.
AWARDS / REVIEWS
97 Points – James Halliday’s Top 100 Wines of 2017
Royal Sydney Wine Show 2017:
Trophy – Best Chardonnay (THE A P John Coopers Perennial Trophy for Best Chardonnay)
Trophy – Best Wine judged by the International Guest Judge
Royal Perth Wine Show 2017:
Trophy – Best Chardonnay
Trophy – Best WA White table wine
Trophy – Best single vineyard red or white varietal
Trophy – Best white table wine
Trophy – Best WA Wine
Trophy – Best Wine of the Show
Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2017:
Top Gold Medal
Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2017
Consistency of Excellence Medal – Gold Medal at 3 consecutive Royal Melbourne Wine Shows – 2014, 2015, 2016 SRS Chardonnay
Gold Medal — 95 points
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