2016 Dominique Portet Blanc de Blancs

Chardonnay fruit for this sparkling wine comes from the same vineyard as we use for the highly awarded Origine Chardonnay - a mature site in the Upper Yarra Valley with volcanic red soils on a steep, fast-draining slope at a relatively high altitude of 250m. The elevation makes for cooler growing environment and we pick early (mid Feb) to seek acidity while the grapes are still green and bright. 2016 was a stunning vintage - mild and dry - perfect for Chardonnay and sparkling production.Hand picked when the fruit showed plenty of acidity in the green apple and lime spectrum. Whole bunches were pressed using a traditional Champagne cycle - very gently to avoid phenolics and retain optimum freshness. Fermentation took place in tank and left on lees for 6 months prior to tirage. Made in the traditional method, the wine is aged in bottle for 3 years before being disgorged and then aged a further 12 months to allow the wine to come together. Dosage is a low 4g/L to ensure fruit purity retention and give us a crisp, mouthwatering, energetic style of sparkling.