Alkimi 'Willowlake Vineyard' Chardonnay 2021
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Stuart Dudine settled in the Yarra Valley in 2012 after years of study and travel that took him from cellars here in Australia to wineries through Europe. The experience he gained on his journey sparked his love for Rhone varietals and formed his winemaking philosophy, based in ‘basic principles’ that aim to enhance the natural characteristics of wine with minimal intervention.
In 2014, he established Alkimi Wines- a name derived from the phonetic spelling of alchemy - a word that Stuart feels encapsulates the ‘magic’ that it takes to create wine, a combination of science, nature, and intuition. He saw opportunity in the evolving climate to branch out from the typical Yarra Valley varietals and craft a range of wines that showcase his passion and enthusiasm for the Rhone Valley.
At Alkimi, Stuart employs biological farming, minimal use of sulphur and embraces natural acidity and yeast to create wines that establish a sense of place and value for the quality and purity of the grapes from which they are produced.
The Willowlake vineyard has featured for numerous years in the Alkimi range with Pinot Noir and this is the first release of Willowlake Chardonnay. This Chardonnay block is the lowest altitude at the entire vineyard at 160m asl and the clone is the I10V1. Soils are fluvial deposits of gravel, clay, sand and silt over marine derived siltstone and mudstone. The grapes were handpicked 11th March and wholebunch pressed to puncheons. A wild fermentation was conducted and malolactic fermentation was inhibited. After 9 months on lees, the wine was bottled in January 2022 unfined and unfiltered.
Vegan Friendly
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