2023 Mr. Riggs Cold Chalk Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

The grapes were picked early, before ripening just after the green, herbaceous characters had disappeared. The fruit was whole bunch pressed, the juice was minimally settled, wild yeast was added, and finally the grapes were fermented in only old French oak barrels. Ben aims for the complexity of the barrel fermentation characters to come through rather than new oak characters. Once ferment had finished the wine was left on lees for six months.

This has resulted in a wine that is higher in natural acid, lower in alcohol, which aids in giving the ‘Cold Chalk’ its complexity. It demonstrates a flinty, steely edge and chalky mouth feel, without compromising the purity of the fruit in both flavour and aroma.