Berton Vineyard – Chardonnay Reserve, Eden Valley – 2022-23

PRODUCER NOTE:
Established by Bob and Cherie Berton in May 1996. The estate covers 30 hectares of land located on gently rolling hills at 450 metres above sea level, in a subregion of Eden Valley in South Australia. The superb Reserve Shiraz and Reserve Chardonnay wines are still sourced from this plot. In 2007, Bob purchased the Yenda winery in the heart of the Riverina. This state-of- the-art facility has the capacity to process 20,000 tonnes and enables Berton Vineyard to produce value for money wines which sit alongside their premium single vineyard offerings.

VINEYARD:
Eden Valley is one of Australia’s premier cool climate wine regions renowned for its rugged beauty and distinctive elegant wines. The 2019 Reserve Chardonnay is a multi-vineyard blend from Eden Valley, with 60% of the fruit from the Berton High Eden Vineyard, which is approximately 500 metres above sea level. 40% of the fruit came from vineyards are a little lower in valley at approximately 400 metres elevation. The Berton High Eden vineyard possesses light brown soil, made up of sandy loam and a large amount of quartz gravel and rock fragments. Other Eden Valley vineyards range from grey to brown in colour, sand and clay loams with ironstone and quartz fragments.

WINEMAKING:
The fruit was harvested in the cool of the night to retain freshness. The grapes were crushed, destemmed and gently pressed; the juice was slowly fermented at cool temperatures to retain and enhance the varietal characteristics developed in the vineyard. The wine spent six months on its fine lees in French oak puncheons, adding complexity and texture before being blended, filtered and bottled.

TASTING NOTE:
This Reserve Chardonnay displays generous aromas of white rose, almond biscotti and tropical fruit. The palate is well structured with a creamy texture and delivers flavours of ripe grapefruit and lemon with layers of toasty vanilla and nutmeg adding complexity, through to a long, creamy finish.

GRAPE:
Chardonnay 100%.

COUNTRY:
Australia

REGION:
South Australia

SUB-REGION:
Eden Valley