Bartinney Chardonnay 2022

In the vineyard

A long cold and wet winter made way for a cool dry spring. This assured even flowering, especially for the earlier ripening varieties such as Chardonnay. Later on, the growing season got wetter and remained cool, slowing down the vine phenology, and the eventual ripening speed of the grapes. Very hot mid-thirty degrees spells in January did not accelerate the ripening, as the vines shut down during persistent heat to protect themselves. Luckily, Bartinney’s vineyards were well buffered against such extreme conditions, and produced a bumper crop of Chardonnay grapes with very good flavour. The first vines planted on Bartinney, were Chardonnay, planted in 1990. These are also the highest plantings on the estate. The steep slopes, on which the vines grow, let the grapes ripen at different stages.