Oakridge 864 Chardonnay 2017

864. Oakridge. Funder & Diamond. Chardonnay. The 2017 vintage. It comes in a heavy bottle now. Well. Intensity of fruit, a general succulence, matchsticks flung into the flavour, pears, whites peaches, grapefruit squeezed straight in, finish. It runs like it’s awesome, to borrow a line.

ABOUT US

Oakridge is a family-owned winery, cellar door and restaurant, located in the heart of Victoria’s oldest wine region – the Yarra Valley.

Established in 1978, Oakridge has grown to become an internationally recognised producer of award-winning wines and must-visit Yarra Valley destination.

As a pioneer of the wine growing region of the upper Yarra Valley, Oakridge is known for producing distinctive single-vineyard wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region.

Today, Oakridge is still a family owned company, supported by the Atlas/D’Aloisio family since 2007. Chief Winemaker, David Bicknell has led the winemaking team since 2002.

WINEMAKING

Right back in our humble beginnings, we recognized the potential for making great wine on the rich, diverse soils of the Yarra Valley. Today, the wines produced from our premier vineyards capture the dynamic spirit of the Yarra Valley. Our winemakers use traditional methods, expert hands and meticulous care, to craft award-winning wines that emanate freshness, balance and length with every sip. Known for their elegance and subtlety, an Oakridge wine is always an exceptional food companion; a table wine in the true sense. The winemaking team is led by Chief Winemaker David Bicknell and Senior Winemaker Tim Perrin.

IN THE VINEYARD

Great wine begins in the vineyard. At Oakridge we focus on sustainable, environmentally sensitive practices, valuing vine and soil health to grow the best possible fruit. We continue to be innovative in our approach to viticulture, with the introduction of cover crops, compost teas and an insectarium, all of which play a significant role in minimising synthetic inputs and in turn improving the health and biodiversity of our vineyards. In addition to the 10 hectares of vines that surround the Oakridge restaurant and cellar door, our grapes are also sourced from carefully selected sites located in the upper Yarra Valley. It is our expertise and innate understanding of the region that allows us to match each varietal with only the most suitable site. All grapes are handpicked to maintain the uncompromising quality Oakridge is renowned for.

WINEMAKING

In the winery, we apply traditional winemaking techniques. We rely on minimal intervention using observation and understanding. Importantly we use our experience accumulated over successive vintages to make judgments on such things as using natural yeasts, minimal pumping and plunging, size of barrels and minimal racking and filtration. Importantly we only intervene in the natural process of winemaking when we need to, crafting wines that are not only pristine varietal expressions but also reflective of their site and the region.

OUR RANGE OF WINES

Our four wine ranges – Oakridge 864, Oakridge Local Vineyard Series, Oakridge Yarra Valley Range and the Oakridge Specialty Wines – whilst all reflecting the characteristics of the 100% Yarra Valley fruit, also exude their own personalities. It is the varying altitudes and terroirs that allow our team to continually create award-winning wines that do justice to the different varietals; each and all exemplifying the elegance, freshness, balance and length that create world-class wines.

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