Vintage
2019
ABV
13.7%
Wine Type
White
Wine Style
Still
Wine Description
This wine has been made with a view to preserving freshness and varietal definition, whilst combining some added complexity through different vinification methods. All grapes were whole bunch pressed, with 90% of the blend being cold settled in stainless steel to achieve a brightly clarified juice before racking and inoculation with QA23 yeast. 10% of the blend was transferred to old French oak barriques, complete with solids, where wild yeast were utilised to conduct the ferment. Fermentation temperatures were controlled between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius until dry.
Winemaker's Bio
Approaching his 12th vintage as Montalto winemaker Simon Black has a tremendous grounding and recognition for the vineyards that provide the life-blood to the Montalto winery, together with a meticulous understanding of how to vinify and capture the potential of each site. Following his graduation in Oenology from Charles Sturt University in 1996, Black travelled extensively, nationally and internationally, honing his craft. It was inevitable that his love of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir would eventually see him settle on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
He is a Len Evans Tutorial graduate and was also a Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year finalist in 2015.
The ongoing search for wine-perfection is what drives Black:
“I may get 40 vintages to apply my craft. If the wine Gods are friendly and the planets align, one in ten of these might produce grapes of exceptional quality, leaving only 4 opportunities in my career to make truly great wine. The quest feeds the fascination.”
