Winemaker notes Colour: Pale Gold Bouquet: Our Reserve Chardonnay has a bright and lifted nose of sweet pastry, lemon curd and fleshy white stonefruit. Palate: The palate displays a rich and layered mix of fresh stonefruit, citrus and intense vanilla bean flavours. A fine mineral thread ensures a wine of length and persistence. Viticulture The vineyard is planted on Karri loam gravel soils with underlying laterite. Vine rows run north south down a moderate north facing slope and are clone Gin-Gin with trellis structured to vertical shoot positioning. The vineyard is subject to the cool Southern Ocean breezes and ripens slowly, evenly and with naturally high acidity. Winemaking The fruit is handpicked then cooled before whole bunch pressing. New and seasoned barrels are filled directly from the press to enhance complexity. Only the free run fraction is reserved with harder pressings separated to ensure a delicate and fine expression of the fruit in this wine. The juice is left to ferment spontaneously and can take up to three weeks to ferment with some cooling at the height of ferment. After ferment the barrels are topped and gently stirred with inert gas protection monthly. A small number of barrels were encouraged to finish malolactic fermentation to ameliorate the natural acidity. After nine months in barrel the wine is assembled in tank and aged on lees to further encourage complexity.

A great Margaret River Shiraz with temperate ripening conditions promoting fruit intensity, richness and fine tannins. The palate is restrained and balanced with flavours of plum and aniseed spice.

Flametree are nestled in the picturesque Margaret River wine region where they continue to be surrounded by a buzz and excitement centred on the quality wine they are producing. Attention to detail is paramount in the winery where careful site, clonal and oak selections are made to produce exceptional Chardonnay's like this one. Characters of dried pears, grapefruit, melon and fig are balanced with searing acidity and a length of flavour that speaks to its promising future.

The citrus rind and grapefuit lead the palate to an overall fine yet textural journey. Cape Mentelle Chardonnay had this distinctive minerally line too, apparent with focussed refreshing acidity. Faint nuancesof soft nougat and cashews also add to what is a harmonious balance and an elegant and length finish.

A lovely example of Margaret River Cabernet Merlot, Flametree Cabernet Merlot is showing big dense fruit characters of blackcurrant and stewed plums. A silky seamless palate with rich fruit concentration and chocolaty complexity. Matured in French oak barrels has softened and rounded this wine.

The Lenton Brae Southside Chardonnay plays off the already established Wilyabrup Chardonnay with a fresh, vibrant feel to the wine. A cleansing line of acid is evident throughout the palate as is the textured mouthfeel courtesy of 'wild' primary fermentation and the addition of quality oak to the process. Designed to be enjoyed in its youth, this classic Margaret River Chardonnay will also enjoy some short to medium-term cellaring to coax out its true essence.

In Margaret River, considered one of Australia's premium chardonnay growing regions, Cape Mentelle creates wines of plush texture, depth and power, yet balanced with a fine frame of acidity. This Chardonnay is predominantly from our Chapman Brook Vineyard,established in 1994 in the cool southern half of Margaret River. The cooler climate captures the freshness and vibrancy of the variety. Yellow hay with a bright gold hue. A tropical nose of yellow peaches, melon and mandarin. Generous fruit intensity on the flowing palate, rich with rock melon, pistachio, lemon curd and orange blossom, lifting with a zesty, crisp acidity.

Umamu create exquisite handcrafted wines. Each bottle is deliberately and meticulously created: from the delicate balance tasted within each glass, to the small touches of family handwriting and messages on our labels. Our philosophy has always been to give our wines time to age in the bottle before release, a rarity in today’s market. Enjoying wines when they are ready to drink, rather than straight after bottling, is the reason Umamu wines have developed such a pleasant and sophisticated texture. 2008 is just glorious on its own or with food. It is all grown up and ready to go. This vintage is going down well with Umamu SBS fans, why not have a go?

Vibrant mid gold with green hues. Restrained nose with gentle citrus and white nectarine, flint and sweet integrated oak. The palate is silky and voluptuous with layers of stone fruit, vanillin oak, flint and a lively acidity for balance and length.