16 Stops Chardonnay – This Chardonnay is pale yellow in colour. On the nose, there are aromas of citrus and stone fruit with white floral aromas. The palate is dominated by white peach and nectarine with hints of spice adding to the complexity of the wine. It is crisp and elegant with a lovely texture and long finish.
The grapes for this Chardonnay were sourced from the Riverland region along the Murray River in South Australia. This particular region has two main soil types: sandy loams over clay subsoils along the river valley and at a higher altitude, sandy soils over limestone and clay layers. All of the vineyards use modern trellis systems and are fully irrigated.
The fruit was machine harvested and taken to the winery in the cool of the night, where it was fermented in stainless steel tanks. No oak was used at any stage to retain the fresh fruit character in the final wine. Neutral and varietal-enhancing yeasts were used with a cool, steady fermentation to retain aromatic character. The wine spent three months on lees prior to filtering and bottling.
The 16 Stops wines are made at the Willunga 100 winery under the watchful eye of consultant winemaker Tim James, with much of the fruit sourced from the same vineyards. The wines blend the fruit from the McLaren Vale with that of the Adelaide Hills to combine the best of both areas, with riper flavours from the McLaren Vale, and fresh, mineral notes from the Adelaide Hills.
16 Stops wines are made with fruit from across South Australia. They are made alongside the Willunga 100 wines in McLaren Vale and benefit from the same input from winemaker Skye Salter.
Given our unwavering commitment to promoting ‘regionality’ with our Australian portfolio, we felt it was best to invest in premium regions for our ‘entry point’ Australian wines. And, given the quality
of the fruit from which they’re made, the 16 Stops wines offer tremendous value for money.
The name 16 Stops comes from the number of stops on the railway line from Adelaide to the Vineyard.
You can see more information on the Willunga 100 winery by going to their website.
To see our full range of Willunga 100 product go to our dedicated web page
Australian Chardonnay that’s a distinct notch up in the quality stakes from the big brands.
16 Stops Chardonnay – Aussie Chardonnay as it should be: plump and peachy with a fresh, mineral undercurrent.
£12.49 a bottle
17 in stock
Willunga 100 aims to produce unique and distinctive wines which capture the essence of the region. The grapes come from a range of selected vineyards in McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills (for the whites), including some over 50 years old. After only its first vintage in 2005, wine journalist and judge James Halliday gave the winery a Five Star rating in the 2008 Guide, and named it as one of his ‘Top Ten newcomers’. This vindicated the original aim of Willunga 100, which was to inject some quality and excitement back into Australian wine at this price. New vintages will be made by winemaker Tim James (ex Hardy’s and Wirra Wirra and a regular on the wine judging circuit) and continue to build on the quality of the range.
The Adelaide Hills is one of Australia’s most charming wine regions and home to a large number of premium wine producers. The wine history of the area is similar to many other wine regions: industry developed after the first plantings in the 1840s, only to struggle for economic survival as consumer tastes changed with resurgence in the 1970s – most notably Brian Croser with Petaluma. Today it is very much a boutique vineyard and winery region that is pitching for quality and winning awards. This region has the coolest climate of all South Australian wine regions. Nestled in the Hills, its climate influenced by altitude (350m to 700m) and winds from the St Vincents Gulf. Main wine styles: White – Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling; Red – Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz.
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