2015 Croft

Adelaide Hills

Chardonnay

Medium lemon with green-gold hues. Fragrant aromas of orange blossom, honeydew melon, nectarine and spiced pear lead into vanilla, toasted brioche and almond nougat. A finely structured palate of white peach, custard apple, chamomile, and toasted cashew, with bright acidity adding freshness and balance through a long, persistent finish.

$79.00
$79.00
Medium lemon with green-gold hues. Fragrant aromas of orange blossom, honeydew melon, nectarine and spiced pear lead ...

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BACKGROUND

Fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Henschke and his viticulturist wife Prue selected Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills as a new vineyard site in 1981. At 550m, the Lenswood Vineyard offers not only beautiful views toward the older vine country, but also higher rainfall and humidity at the right time of the year, cooler temperatures to retain natural acidity, and still enough sunshine to fully ripen the grapes. The chardonnay vineyard, which consists of seven clones, (I10V1, I10V5, Antav 84, 277 and the Burgundian Bernard clones, B95, B96, B76) has taken its name from Frederick Croft, an orchardist who took up an adjoining property in 1938.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Harvest Date: 26 February - 11 March 

Alcohol: 13.5%

Vintage Rating: Exceptional vintage

Maturation: Matured in 24% new and 76% seasoned French oak barriques for 9 months prior to blending and bottling. Bottle aged in the Henschke cellar for museum release.

Drinking Window: Drink now to 2030+

VINTAGE

A traditionally wet winter, mild spring and excellent fruit set provided a strong start to the 2015 vintage after four vintages with below-average yields. Spring was dry and led into a very mild, dry summer with no disease, resulting in fruit with higher natural acidity and intense flavour and colour concentration. A dry, warm and windy start to January resulted in one of the worst bushfires in the Adelaide Hills in living memory. By the end of the first week, relief came with 60–75mm of rain and a record-breaking coolest January in 11 years. With the onset of veraison at the end of January, the rain was perfectly timed for the vineyards and the mild weather that followed from February through to April provided a fairytale vintage. The 2015 vintage provided a classic Adelaide Hills expression of chardonnay, with all varieties harvested showing excellent flavour, purity of fruit and acid balance with good potential for ageing.

TASTING NOTES

Fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Henschke and his viticulturist wife Prue selected Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills as a new vineyard site in 1981. At 550m, the Lenswood Vineyard offers not only beautiful views toward the older vine country, but also higher rainfall and humidity at the right time of the year, cooler temperatures to retain natural acidity, and still enough sunshine to fully ripen the grapes. The chardonnay vineyard, which consists of seven clones, (I10V1, I10V5, Antav 84, 277 and the Burgundian Bernard clones, B95, B96, B76) has taken its name from Frederick Croft, an orchardist who took up an adjoining property in 1938.

Varieties: 100% Chardonnay

Harvest Date: 26 February - 11 March 

Alcohol: 13.5%

Vintage Rating: Exceptional vintage

Maturation: Matured in 24% new and 76% seasoned French oak barriques for 9 months prior to blending and bottling. Bottle aged in the Henschke cellar for museum release.

Drinking Window: Drink now to 2030+

A traditionally wet winter, mild spring and excellent fruit set provided a strong start to the 2015 vintage after four vintages with below-average yields. Spring was dry and led into a very mild, dry summer with no disease, resulting in fruit with higher natural acidity and intense flavour and colour concentration. A dry, warm and windy start to January resulted in one of the worst bushfires in the Adelaide Hills in living memory. By the end of the first week, relief came with 60–75mm of rain and a record-breaking coolest January in 11 years. With the onset of veraison at the end of January, the rain was perfectly timed for the vineyards and the mild weather that followed from February through to April provided a fairytale vintage. The 2015 vintage provided a classic Adelaide Hills expression of chardonnay, with all varieties harvested showing excellent flavour, purity of fruit and acid balance with good potential for ageing.