The wine was produced from a 2-hectare planting of Chardonnay on southwest-facing slopes at Schoolhouse Vineyard in Woori Yallock, towards the southern edge of the Yarra Valley. The vineyard, situated on grey clay-loam soils, is owned and managed by Ivan and Andrew Ferguson.

The cool, cloudy but generally dry 2002 season resulted in a long maturation period and consequently intense flavours in Schoolhouse Vineyard Chardonnay. Low crops contributed relatively high acidity and more than adequate sugar levels in the grapes.

The fruit was hand-harvested in good condition in early April 2002, at ripeness levels of 23.7º Brix and pH 3.40. The grapes were whole-bunch pressed to yield the finest quality juice, which was settled briefly (without clarification enzymes) in tank and then transferred to 800-litre French oak demi-muids, 25% new, for fermentation at warm temperatures between 18 and 23°C. The whole volume was fermented by indigenous yeast strains. A third of the wine was allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation, and the wine was left in barrel, in contact with its yeast lees and with occasional batonnage for 14 months before racking, fining with skim milk, filtration and bottling in July 2003.

Appearance:			Brilliant pale lemon in colour.
Nose:			Intense preserved-lemon fruit is supported by vanilla French oak and creamy yeast-lees aromas. Hints of honey and almond/cashew add further dimensions to a nose that shows complex elements of wild-yeast and malolactic fermentation.
Palate:			Full-bodied but very sleek, the palate echoes the fruit, oak and lees elements on the nose; sweet alcohol is balanced by crisp acidity and a touch of oak firmness. The flavour persists well onto the back-palate, and the finish and aftertaste are long, smooth and very clean. The wine balances sweet fruit with savoury mineral and winemaking influences, providing wonderful complexity, intensity, length and balance – the classic elements of wine quality