REGION:
South Australia, 2011
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING:
The grapes for this wine were sourced from Angove Family Winemakers
own vineyards and premium growers in South Australia. Soils are predominantly
red sandy loam over limestone, on gently undulating east
west ridges.
The 2011 Vintage was cool, drought breaking rains in spring lead to minimal
requirement for irrigation, good crops being set and substantial canopies
which would be needed to ripen the fruit to perfection. Longer than
usual grape maturation resulted in a relatively late harvest starting in February.
With a wine like this our winemaking is all about retention of the fantastic
natural fl avours of the grapes. Cool temperatures are a key to this and
hence we pick late at night to harvest the grapes as cold as possible. Following
harvest the grapes were transported to the winery and pressed
immediately using modern membrane tank presses. After cold settling
the clear juice was carefully racked and inoculated with selected yeasts.
Cool fermentation was followed by minimal handling fi ltration and bottling
at the Angove Family winery.
WINEMAKERS’ NOTES:
A pale straw yellow with appealing green hues this wine has attractive
lifted tropical and citrus notes. On the medium to full palate lemony citrus
characters with some passionfruit and peach precede a hint of creaminess
and a long clean finish.
TECHNICAL:
Varieties: Colombard Chardonnay
Alcohol: 11.0% alc/vol
Total Acidity: 6.8 gms/l
Residual Sugar: 1.57 gms/l
Winestate - Vol 33 Issue 5 - Sept/Oct 2010 - 3.5 Stars
"Complex, buttery/toasty nose with honeyed characters developing. Soft in the mouth. Good toasty/peach flavours."
Quaff 2010 - Peter Forrestal
The Best Wines in Australia Under $15 - Bloody Good
'This has honest, uncomplicated yet intense fruity flavours featuring ripe tropical characters, is soft, smooth and fine with pleasing lingering finish. Members of the tasting panel commented on its �textural viscosity' and �elegant texture'. Unusual for such a cheap white.'
Western Suburbs Weekly - John Jens - 7.7.09
'Occasionally you come across a quality easy-drinking wine at a wonderful price and this must be the one for the month. It is cheaper than a tone of excess Margaret River Cabernet grapes and is very classy for a $6.95 wine - and that is before it goes on special. This is young and very cleverly put together. I could drink this with pleasure. It has soft edges, is textured for a wine in this price range and is very appealing. It has a hint of sweetness before lingering into a relaxed and fine dry finish to keep everyone happy. There are no great or overt flavour characters, just a beautifully put together and satisfying mouth full of relaxing joy. This is the best-value, reasonably priced white wine we have seen in months - and it is definitely a �blue chip''
Herald Sun - Paddy Kendler - Page 36 - 3.3.09
'The latest releases from Angove's popular Butterfly Ridge range come to the market in smart new packaging ... and the wines certainly deserved a cosmetic makeover. They are good value for money, as exemplified by this basic dry white blend. The dependable, if modestly flavoured, colombard might have been boring on its own, but an infusion of chardonnay has added extra flavour, interest and body. Serve icy cold for best effect. Whenever, wherever.'
Martin Field - E-Vine - February 2009 - 2 Stars
Generous tropical fruit aromatics. The palate in this quaffable white is soft, stone-fruity and off dry. Good value for a drink any time style.
Winestate River Regions & Riverina Tasting - Sept/Oct 2008
A delightfully simple, fresh lemony summer quaffer with delicate aromas and a silky smooth palate.
Sun Herald - 2.12.07
Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2006
......"in the white corner, a $28 bottle of the acclaimed Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc was beaten by a $5.50 Angove's Colombard Chardonnay."
Quaff 2008 - The Best Wines in Australia under $15 - Peter Forrestal
2007 Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay rated "Pretty Good"
"A fresh, bright and lively unwooded style from the Riverland: some grassy characters and appealing mouthfeel."
The Advertiser - Tony Love - 11.10.06
Angove's Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay
"3.5 stars - Fresh apples and zingy, crunchy pineapple rule the first wave before some chardy peach and creaminess comes on line, with some crisp end notes. Unbelievable value."
Men's Health Magazine - October 2006
Angove's Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2005
"It's harder to make a decent cheap white than a drinkable cheap red, but this chump-change chardy - crisp, even when unchilled - leaves no hint of the price tag in the aftertaste."
James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2007 Edition
Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2005 - Rating 85 - 3.5 stars
Eastern Courier Messenger - 13.9.06
Angove's Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2004
"Supurb value. Not the most complex drop but a lively little food wine with a tropical zing from Riverland fruit."
Mount Barker Courier - Ross Noble, 31.7.06
"Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2005 is a fresh, lively white with stone fruit flavours and pleasant natural acid."
Fun, Food and Wine - February 2006
A ripe juicy white packed with appealing fruit flavours that retails for under seven dollars? You bet. OK it will never take out the championship at a national wine competition but it will keep a smile on punters dials at the next summer bbq. A fresh, clean quaffer intended to be enjoyed now.
The Sydney Morning Herald - 25th February 2006
It's a trickier winemaking challenge to make a decent cheap white than a decent cheap red. With machine harvesting and mass production, those vital criteria crispiness and freshness are the first to be sacrificed. That's why this zippy white represents such amazing value. It's synergistic blend is crisp and drinkable and doesn't have a finish that reminds you of the price tag. Greg Duncan Powell.
The Advertiser - 1st February 2006
Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2006
Philip White
88 Points
Recent vintages has consistently over-delivered on quality, if not your actual butterflies. Gooseberries and peach give edge and richness, and the palate has some syrup but mostly zesty acidity, bringing roast chook or steamed flounder urgently to mind.
Herald Sun - 17th January 2006
Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2005
Paddy Kendler
3 1/2 Stars (Fine drop/Good Value)
The popular and reliable Butterfly Ridge wines are produced from fruit grown in the Riverland and continue to be remarkable value for money. In this case, the more neutral colombard is given a flavour boost with the addition of some unwooded chardonnay that results in a fresh and lively warm-weather dry white showing light tropical and citrus fruits within a soft palate.
Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide 2004/2005 ***
Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2003
Melon-rind and green herbs perfume the youthful, straightforward bouquet. There's no oak or other complexing factors, and it's light on the tongue with a short finish. There's a salty/tart taste on the tip of the tongue.
The West Australian
Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2003
Wine Ray Jordan
Another little cheapie is Angove's Butterfly Ridge Colombard Chardonnay 2003, which manages to pack a surprising amount of lively fresh citrus and tropical fruits into a neat and tidy mix showing good, crisp acid and a pleasant lingering finish.
2007 Vintage - Riverland Wine Show 2008, Bronze
REGION:
South Australia, 2010
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING:
The grapes for this wine were sourced from Angove Family Winemakers own vineyards and premium growers in South Australia. Soils are predominantly red sandy loam over limestone, on gently undulating east west ridges.
An ideal vintage with some good rain events and improved inflows into the Murray Darling basin allowed our vines to be well tended during the growing season. A short heat spike in November lead to some irregular flowering and set and subsequently reduced yield. The remainder of the growing period was excellent with abundant sunshine for ripening, yet cool nights to help retain flavour and natural acidity.
With a wine like this our winemaking is all about retention of the fantastic natural flavours of the grapes. Cool temperatures are a key to this and hence we pick late at night to harvest the grapes as cold as possible. Following harvest the grapes were transported to the winery and pressed immediately using modern membrane tank presses. After cold settling the clear juice was carefully racked and inoculated with selected yeasts. Cool fermentation was followed by minimal handling filtration and bottling at the Angove Family winery.
WINEMAKERS’ NOTES:
A pale straw yellow with appealing green hues this wine has attractive lifted tropical and citrus notes. On the medium to full palate lemony citrus characters with some passionfruit and peach precede a hint of creaminess and a clean long finish.
Enjoy this wine well chilled, along, or with any lighter foods. Particularly good with seafood.
TECHNICAL:
Varieties: Colombard Chardonnay
Alcohol: 12.0% alc/vol
Total Acidity: 6.4 gms/l
Residual Sugar: 1.18 gms/l