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"Good as the earlier vintages of Pierro Chardonnay were, the two most recent releases mark a stellar upward trend for the wine. There’s finesse and complexity with combined tightness of structure and a brightness of acidity that marks both wines. They suggest both an improvement in quality and the wine’s capacity to age. We see the 2005 and 2006 as watershed vintages for Pierro Chardonnay.
The first 20 years at Pierro was spent refining the work in the vineyard, so that the high-density plantings were established and managed. In particular, canopies were managed so that precise leaf plucking by hand has been carried out in order that the vines receive the right amount of sunlight at the correct stage of ripening. While the mature vines make an important contribution to the quality of Pierro Chardonnay [they range 18 to 26’s year old in 2006] this quality could not be achieved without the regular rigorous day –to-day work in the vineyard
Tasting Notes.
As is traditional at Pierro, the wine is barrel fermented in new [50%] and one year old French barriques; 100% goes through the malolactic fermentation and regular lees stirring takes place during its 12 months oak maturation.
Mike Peterkin is an unabashed fan of the malolactic fermentation believing it improves the flavour and length of the palate of the Chardonnay while battonage gives a seamless character and better wine texture.
Palate: Crammed tight with opulent white peach, nectarine and subtle leesy flavours. Characteristic creamy texture of a Pierro Chardonnay yet it is tightly structured and coiled around taut racy acidity
Vintage: The 2006 vintage turned out to be an excellent one for Pierro Chardonnay, though in unexpected ways. Yields were low in Margaret River thanks to battering annual Spring winds. In 2005, heavy spring rains in Willyabrup affected berry set and made doubly sure that yields were low. After that, it was an ideal vintage for chardonnay as the temperatures during the growing season were cool and even. This enabled sugar and flavour development to occur gradually and so optimise quality" extracts from Winery Tasting Notes
