Tractor 10X Chardonnay
Heavier than normal winter rains and cooler temperatures delayed budburst (our second latest) but warmer spring weather resulted in perfect conditions for flowering leading to very good fruit set and promising high yields. In fact, particularly down the hill, crop adjustment was required to ensure even maturity and high quality outcomes. Grapes matured with optimum sugar, flavour and tannin development resulting in high quality parcels from all sites. It was our third earliest harvest, leading to our shortest ever hang time (budburst-harvest 179 days against an average of 203 days).
Grapes hand-harvested from late February to mid March, whole bunch pressed and the unsettled juice fermented by indigenous yeasts in 20% new 228 litre French oak barrels. An 8 month aging in barrel with no bâtonnage to keep wines fresher and more taut. Natural partial (70%) malolactic fermentation before bottling unfined and filtered.
A rather elegant version of 10X Chardonnay, despite the warmer vintage. A hint of gumball funk and white nectarine kick this off, though with less of an emphasis on fruit and no shortage of complexity. Delicacy, and all sorts of Chardonnay delights below the surface.
Ten Minutes by Tractor is truly a pioneer in fine wine making and a beacon to those striving for quality. Originally set up in 2000, the winery is today run by Martin Spedding who has overseen the rise of the winery to almost cult status.
The ‘home’ vineyards (McCutcheon, Wallis and Judd) are the three original vineyards which formed, literally and figuratively, Ten Minutes By Tractor. They are all in Main Ridge, the coolest and highest parts of the Mornington Peninsula. Despite their close proximity and similar vinification methods, the single vineyard wines are distinctly different from one another. This is a result of their different elevations, orientations and soils. These wines can challenge Burgundy in quality and elegance and range from fine and elegant to richer and more opulent. They are all a true expression of the unique ‘terroir’. These much sought after single vineyard wines are only produced in outstanding years.
The other two vineyards (Spedding and Coolart Road) are located further to the north and are blended with the ‘home’ vineyards to produce Martin’s beloved 10X range. These wines are elegant but also Australian in style with ripe fruit and beautifully balanced with well integrated oak.
To see our full range of Ten Minutes by Tractor product go to https://www.auswinesonline.co.uk/product-category/ten-minutes-by-tractor/
To see our full range of Ten Minutes by Tractor product go to https://www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au/
Tractor 10X Chardonnay
£32.00 a bottle
1 in stock
“Ten Minutes by Tractor dates back to 2000 when the owners made their first wine with the widely respected Mornington Peninsula winemaker Richard McIntyre. It has been since 2004 however, under the direction of Martin Spedding that Ten Minutes has become a cult name, and well respected among consumers and critics alike.
The name `Ten Minutes by Tractor` came about because the original three `home` vineyards (McCutcheon, Wallis and Judd) were ten minutes by tractor away from each other! These vineyards are all situated within the Main Ridge sub region, one of the coolest and highest parts of the Mornington Peninsula.”
This is a modern wine region. There was a dabbling in viticulture in the late 1800s and then in the 1950s but it wasn’t until Baillieu Myer of Myer stores planted vines in the early 70s did the region begin as a commercial wine producer. Many vineyards and wineries followed, most of them small, producing boutique wines. The climate is regarded as cool and exposed to wind chill from the frequent strong winds. The main wine styles: White – Chardonnay, Pinot Gris; Red – Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot.
Ten Minutes by Tractor
Ten Minutes by Tractor
Ten Minutes by Tractor
Ten Minutes by Tractor
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