2003 Grosset Piccadilly Chardonnay

Notes sourced from Grosset

The Piccadilly Chardonnay is 100% barrel fermented in French oak barriques. The yeast lees were stirred for the first six months with only half the barrels allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation for greater complexity. The wine was then left on lees in barrel for a further five months.
The two most recent vintages of Grosset Piccadilly Chardonnay have both shown better integration of fruit and oak much earlier than previous examples of the wine. The 2003 Piccadilly Chardonnay is lightly fragrant with orange and lime blossom while the palate shows rich, ripe peach and melon flavours with some delicate cedary notes and a clean, fresh finish that lingers. There are hints of minerally, savoury characters and some viscosity which suggest the complexity that the wine will develop with bottle age. It is fine, tight, with impressive weight, intensity of flavour and excellent balance. This is one of the best vintages yet of this chardonnay from two vineyards in the Piccadilly Valley of the Adelaide Hills. While delicious drinking now it will improve in the short term, may well peak at five to six years of age, and will live for much longer, if well cellared.