Mt Pilot Estate Viognier Chardonnay 2018 (12 Bottles) North East Victoria

by Mt Pilot Estate Wines

$355.00 GST Included

AUSTRALIA WIDE SHIPPING INCLUDED

Matured in 100% 3yr – 6yr year old French oak for 8 months. Wine barrel fermented and lees stirred and left on lees for an extended time. The wine was bottled nine months after harvest.

Mt Pilot Estate Vineyard is a small family owned boutique winery in North East Victoria committed to the production of premium quality wines of rare distinction. The Viognier grapes 66% where handpicked at 13.8 Baume on field flavour and wine potential. Of interest was the intense apricot flavours in the berries. The Chardonnay grapes 33% grown in the cool climates of the Beechworth region reached 12 Baume and were picked on flavour.

A cool fermentation took ten days in old French barrels ensuring full extraction of flavour without picking up hard phenolics. This wine is rich in aromatics comprising of apricot, nectarine, and peaches. The wine has long soft clean palate making for easy drinking. Chill when serving, cellar up to 7 years.

AUSTRALIA WIDE SHIPPING INCLUDED

Category:

Description

Technical Details
Harvest Date 19th February 2018 | Alcohol 13.4%

Maturation
Matured in 100% 3yr – 6yr year old French oak for 8 months. Wine barrel fermented and lees stirred and left on lees for an extended time. The wine was bottled nine months after harvest.

Background
The Viognier was planted in the second development of the vineyard undertaken in 2000. Two hectares of the Yalumba clone Viognier were grafted onto two different varieties of rootstock, Swartzman and Paulsen. Unfortunately, the Swartzman did not survive the severity of the extended drought from 2005 – 2009. An area of 2 Ha remains, with a replanting program to replace the area lost undertaken during spring 2010.

The vines crop at 2800kg / Ha and are spur pruned with the west side of the canopy left to sprawl and the east side lifted with wires to let the morning sun in. The variety is high in inputs with sacrificial canes used and crop thinning an important activity the Chardonnay was purchased from the Scalzo Vineyard in Beechworth and was picked at 12 Baume. The Chardonnay was added during vinification.

Vintage Description
The 2018 growing season started well with reasonable soil moisture and a warmish start to bud burst and then a warmish (3 days over 38⁰C) with early rain and some supplementary irrigation The vineyard looked a little restrained but later rains helped with canopy development. The ripening period was characterised by a slow even ripening with some warmer weather towards the end of vintage. Some irrigation was undertaken during the vintage and vines remained healthy and disease free.

Wine Description
The Viognier grapes 66% where handpicked at 13.8 Baume on field flavour and wine potential. Of interest was the intense apricot flavours in the berries. The Chardonnay grapes 33% grown in the cool climates of the Beechworth region reached 12 Baume and were picked on flavour. A cool fermentation took ten days in old French barrels ensuring full extraction of flavour without picking up hard phenolics.

The wine was left on lee’s in old barrels for ten months to concentrate its flavour and develop the rich generous palate and length evident in this wine. Minimal racking and filtration has preserved full flavour. This wine is rich in aromatics comprising of apricot, nectarine, and peaches. The wine has long soft clean palate making for easy drinking. Chill when serving, cellar up to 7 years. This wine is well suited to Asian style foods and fish.

Cellaring Potential
A Very Good Vintage 2025

Mt Pilot Estate Wines

Mt Pilot Estate is a small, family owned boutique vineyard and winery committed to the production of premium quality wines of rare distinction. The vineyard, situated at Mt Pilot in North East Victoria Australia, is managed to produce low yields of wine grapes, through a minimal water regime, to encourage intense flavour and colour development in the fruit prior to harvest and wine making. To protect the integrity and consistency of our wine, all of the grapes are Mt Pilot Estate grown. Our well regarded wine maker, Marc Scalzo monitors the wine making process very carefully. The fruit is given the benefit of time with each vintage aged in premium quality French and American Oak barrels for two years, thus allowing time for tannins to mature and bring out the full flavour, fruit concentration and complexity of a truly handcrafted, premium wine. Our wine varities include viognier Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Durif. Mt Pilot Estate wines are now available at many top restaurants throughout North East Victoria, Sydney and Melbourne and in a select number of quality boutique food and wine shops and specialist bottle shops. Thus with premium quality fruit, a well regarded wine maker, superior oak and the influence of time – we invite you to share the Mt Pilot Estate intense wine experience with us.