WHAT YOU DON’T DO THAT COUNTS

WEST Australian maker Evans & Tate is justifiably hailing the success of its two “new generation” Single Vineyard Chardonnays, but rather than trumpeting what their winemaking team did to create these wines, they’re trumpeting what they didn’t do.

“These wines – a 2005 Stellar Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay and a 2005 Wildberry Springs Estate Chardonnay – represent the beginning of a new era for our winery,” says Senior Winemaker, Richard Rowe. “It goes back to 2002 when we launched ‘The Chardonnay Project’ to identify specific plant, soil, growing and production variables that could be combined to produce Australia’s best Chardonnay out of Margaret River.

In essence this meant that by using minimal winemaking intervention, Richard Rowe and his team allowed the vineyards to determine the quality of the resultant fruit and thus the wines, while still reflecting the commitment and dedication of the winemaking and viticultural teams.

The inaugural wines represent two of the eleven vineyards in the Project, and were made in tiny quantities from fruit from the Wilyabrup Region, with each reflecting the individual varietal characters of their specific terroir.

Pay $44.95 for each and enjoy with a special-reason lobster thermidor or a seafood and shellfish platter.