Ankel / Zephyr Chardonnay 2020
Country of Origin: Australia
Region: Victoria
<Varieties>
Chardonnay 100%
<Brewing/Technical Facts>
This Chardonnay is from a single vineyard, grown on a 1ha field in the backyard of a house. Unlike the surrounding fields, it is intentionally planted on a north-facing slope where it receives gentle sunlight, and it is said to have a distinctive fruitiness full of acidity and minerals that sets it apart from the others. Incidentally, Echoes and Zephyr have exactly the same brewing process. Whole bunch press, old barrel fermentation. Aged in the same barrel for 10 months from MLF, the top layer of the racking is gravity flowed into a stainless steel tank, and aged for 8 months before bottling. The field located higher up the hill than Echoes has better drainage, and the topsoil tends to be quite dry. Due to the significant stress, the fragrant reduction aroma like Chablis is even stronger. The green citrus flavor reminiscent of green apple skin and lime is strong, and there is also an almond flavor from the old barrels and yeast. There is also a faint glimpse of a juniper berry-like personality.
≪Details≫
UNKEL has a strong image of producing only pop and friendly cuves, but this release is the first single site. Not on the UNKEL label, only single batches are made under the name Luta, which means "earth" or "clay" in Latin. This is a title that pays tribute to the light clay soil that is the main soil of Nelson. It is a stigma that is only given to unicorns that grow only 1-2 barrels a year from a small field that spreads out behind the house.