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Joshua Cooper

2017

“The Old Port Righ Vineyard”

Chardonnay   |   Macedon Ranges - Australia
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

Hand harvested from 36-year-old vines on the historic old “Portree Vineyard,” one of the originals of the Macedon Ranges. A late ripening, windblown site at nearly 2,000 feet altitude, at the Eastern extremity of the region, just outside township of Lancefield. Unusually for the Macedon Ranges the soils are Cambrian intermixed with patches of granite. Ben Ranken and his wife Sally Richardson have owned the vineyard since 2014, lovingly nurturing it back to its full potential and renaming the property “Wilimee” under which they label their own wines.

Once harvested in the cool of morning, with carful sorting in the vineyard, the grapes are partially foot crushed then very gently, slowly pressed over five or so hours. The juice was then settled for 24 hours then racked with all but the very coarse solids to three seasoned Burgundian piece, and one 300L Stockinger Hogshead. The wine sees one year in oak on full lees, no stirring, and no racking, then transferred to stainless steel with all the fine lees for a further six months élevage. The wine is lightly racked and bottled unfined and unfiltered with the only addition to the wine being a small dose of sulfur the week before bottling.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
  • Vineyard: Wilimee Vineyard - Old Port Righ Block
  • Vine Age: 36-years-old
  • Soil Type: Cambrian limestone with patches of granite
  • Viticulture: Lutte Raisonée/Sustainable - dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native – whole-bunch pressed to three seasoned French barriques and one new 300L Stockinger hogshead
  • Skin Contact: None - just at the press
  • Aging: 12 months in three fourth passage Burgundy piece and one new Stockinger 300L barrel
  • Total SO2: 36 ppm
  • Total Production: 125 cases

Tasting Note

As always, this wine is initially very closed, with crushed stone and snuffed match predominating over jasmine, citrus and lemon rind, opening to reveal more of the citrus fruit spectrum with some wild mint and coriander nuances. In the mouth, again very tight to begin, with piercing acidity wrapped within the other elements of the wine, relaxing to show the texture faintly gloss and the wine subtly mellow.

Press & Reviews

James Suckling

94

"A very richly textural chardonnay with fresh and roasted nectarines, honey and grilled hazelnuts, delivered in a soft, fluid and juicy style with freshness and balance. Drink or hold."
- Nick Stock

The Wine Front

94

"Lancefied vineyard, from Ben Rankin’s Wilimee vineyard, on Cambrian soil, planted 1982. Nice to see back-to-back Wilimee wines produced from chardonnay from this site, and the DNA of generosity yet freshness is writ large in this wine too.

Real Lemonade scents, some floral notes, whiffs of general savouriness of oatmeal and biscuit. Ginger and lemon to taste, juicy but with a light crunch, pure-feeling and very long in flavour too. Lots of joyous feel to this wine, really delicious, moreish, with savouriness underpinning ripe citrus flavours. I wanted to get back to this wine. Oh yes."

- Mike Bennie

Producer


Joshua Cooper

Region


Macedon Ranges

Country


Australia

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