Howard Park

Chardonnay 2005

From Great Southern fruit, this wine is made using free run juice only, partially wild fermented in barrel, and partially with neutral yeast. Only French oak is used, about 40% new. It has a deep but vibrant pale gold colour. There's a lovely oak quality on the nose, with masses of toast and delicate spice married to a burnt orange fruit and hazelnut. The palate has a shimmering, bright, zinging lemony core of fruit, The orangey quality persists, but the oak is pushed into the background, just adding a creamy, spicy finesse.