DCB Wines Single Vineyard Chardonnay, Yarra Valley
A combination of Bernard clones off 13-year-old vines were 100% whole bunch pressed to tank, racked after 24 hours to one new demi-muid and the remainder into barrique. Ferment started naturally after approx 7 days and proceeded steadily with daily stirring until dry. SO2 added and then the wine was left until January when it was racked to tank, seeded with bentonite, racked, filtered and bottled.
A mix of Dijon clones from the Lone Star Creek Vineyard, whole-bunch pressed to tank, thence to one new demi-muid, the remainder wild-fermented in barriques. Complex wine, fruit, oak and acidity all contesting a place in the sun. Works well.
92 points, Wine Companion (January 2020)
Lime, white peach, green olive, almond, subtle vanilla oak. Light in body, delicate and discreet in flavour, subtle and not at all showy, fine acidity and flinty texture with flecks of green through, and while perhaps it lacks length, does charm and drinks very well.
91 points, The Wine Front (August 2019)
Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley was first planted by the Ryrie brothers who explored a way through the Snowy Mountains to the Yarra Valley, planting grapes in 1838 just three years after the foundation of Melbourne. A wine industry (developed by Swiss Settlers particularly Hubert de Castella and Baron Guillaume de Pury in the 1850s) thrived during the gold rush era and heyday of the 19th century. However, the end of the gold rush brought the wine industry into decline and it was not until the 1970’s that the modern wine industry started up again. The region is probably Australia’s best-known cool-climate area, yet it is really a patchwork of meso-climates. This varied topography creates an incredible set of variables. Vineyards are planted on elevations of 50 to 400m on varying aspects and management programmes. The more exposed sites are subject to severe spring frosts and winds. Overall, the area experiences a relatively high rainfall pattern and is known for its temperature extremes during ripening. Site selection is crucial, with the best vineyards often located where the original vines were once planted, generally on sandy clay loams and gravels. The Yarra Valley is well known for high quality Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Blends with Shiraz increasingly garnering attention. Sparkling wine production is also extremely important, with many of Australia’s finest examples produced in the region.
