|
Lively and brilliant gold yellow in color. Citrus
and white fruits are melted at the nose, dried and tropical fruit touches,
subtle sweet spices and slightly smoky. Fine mineral and floral hints. A lot
of volume and texture balanced by a precise acidity and minerality. Powerful
but graceful at once, this harmony goes on through the long finish.
Chardonnay
Varieties: Chardonnay 100%
Style: Fresh and fruity, typical of the Limari Valley
Production: 4.000 cases
Yield: 6 tons/hectare
Age of the Vines: 13 years
Soil Type: Coluvial, sandy and granitic, with limestone
influences
Irrigation: Computer controlled drip irrigation,
regulated by an evaporation tray
Harvest: All grapes were picked by hand during the month
of March, and transported to the winery in small 12 kg containers. Great
care was taken to make sure they arrived in optimum condition
Analysis: Alcohol 13 % vol.
Vinification: The grapes have been harvested the 7 of
March, in small 12 kg containers. The story begins at 6:30am, when people
enter the vineyard to select only healthy and perfectly ripe bunches. A
second selection is made just before entering the press, without destemming,
under gaz protection. The press time is around 3 hours, with low pressure
and few rotations to obtain the cleanest and clearer juice as possible. The
rope is decanted, and once clean, fermented with selected yeasts.
Temperatures are totally controlled between 14 and 16 degrees C to keep all
the potencies. When fermentation is well advanced, with 5f of sugars
consumed, half of the juice goes to 400 lts French oak barrels (50% new, 50%
second use) to keep on fermenting, while the rest is fermented in steel
tank. From fermentation until the end of the process, wine is in contact
with its fine lees, removing them (batonnages) twice a week to get better
volume and character. The barrels are checked every week, until finding the
perfect balance between fruit and wood. When we reach the expected balance,
around 8 months after, we take out the wine from the barrels and keep it
during two months in tank, checking its evolution before programming its
bottling. The final blend resulted being 90% barrels 10% tank.
Tasting Note: The pure, bright yet very pale
golden-yellow precedes the noses, which expresses its complexity through
successive layers. The notes of honey and white flowers come first,
accompanied by dried fruits and a bit of butter. The fruit grows, releasing
ripe lemon and mandarin orange along with apples and banana. Finally, a
touch of fresh pineapple appears, escorted by soft vanilla and spices. The
voluptuousness is felt in the front of the mouth, with a well-balanced
fattiness balanced by a fresh, natural essence. Acidity and mineral
influences integrate perfectly and work together with the structure enhanced
by oak aging to contribute solidness and depth to the wine. The finish
expresses its fruit with nuances of honey and spices, but this still-young
wine has only begun its journey toward the great potential that lies ahead.
Best Enjoyed: Right now and at least four years more.
Winemaker: Jose Pablo Martin
Back to Tamaya Wine Page |
