Australia

McLaren Vale’s sandy, ironstone littered soil sustains native scrub, plots of almonds, pine forests and also olive groves, which were planted alongside vineyards by the first settlers in the district. Over the years various varieties of olive trees have sprung up everywhere, on the sides of roads and also in and around our Chardonnay vineyard

The Olive Grove Chardonnay goes through the gentle d’Arenberg process of being crushed by our rubber–toothed Demoisy crusher, before fermentation in various ways. Some of the Chardonnay will be whole bunch pressed straight off skins before going into barrel to finish fermentation there. Traditionally the Olive Grove is a blend of 1/3 each of Chardonnay grapes fermented and matured in stainless steel, 1/3 starts fermentation in stainless steel and then goes into French and American oak to continue fermentation for about 4 weeks, and the final component completes fermentation and maturation for about 5 months in new and older French and American oak.

The Olive Grove Chardonnay has won a pretty smart reputation for itself both nationally and internationally, most notably winning multiple gold medals at the Chardonnay du Monde in Burgundy France.

Chester's Tasting Notes:

Given time to prove its longevity and most importantly not served over-chilled, d’Arenberg’s The Olive Grove McLaren Vale Chardonnay develops intense, complex honey, cashew, fig and soft toast aromas. Typically, butterscotch, light caramel and hints of fresh tobacco are evident too.

The fresh structured mid palate retains its texture but opens slowly into generous sweet banana butterscotch flavours with hints of smoky bacon and green olive tastes before finishing with a persistent developed stone-fruit and chalky texture.

A mature d’Arenberg Olive Grove Chardonnay produces a rich, rolling generous and complex finish balanced by long, clean, refreshing acidity as have more than a decade and a half of previous vintages.

Serving and Cellaring Suggestions:

Serve at about 14 �C. now or cellar for 2 –10 years with seafood, as an aperitif, with pasta with a creamy sauce, chicken, veal as well as salad.

Tasting Notes

Available at major supermarkets while stocks last. 

Information by darenberg.com.au