Burton Premium Chardonnay
The rolling hills of McLaren Vale, located less than an hour's drive south of Adelaide, are famous for their long ripening season - the result of a maritime climate and low summer rainfall. The cooling influence of the adjoining Gulf of St Vincent, combined with ironstone and sandy loam soils help to ensure the consistent and near legendary quality of McLaren Vale wines.
Perhaps Australia's most popular variety, Chardonnay is typified by its flexibility, complexity, richness and above all, fruit flavour. Chardonnay gives the winemaker a chance to display his skill to produce a wine with exceptionally generous flavour.
With the benefit of minimum oak treatment these Chardonnays show good colour and display intense fruit with strong melon flavours leading to a long crisp acid finish.
Serving Recommendations
Carefully crafted to be enjoyed now, these wines are an ideal companion to all forms of seafood, creamy pasta, Asian food, chicken and other white meat. Best served at 12C.
Our chardonnays have been awarded  and  medals |
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Burton
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2002 McLaren Vale Chardonnay
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Variety
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100% Chardonnay
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Alcohol
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13.0%
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Origin
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McLaren Vale, South Australia
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Winemaker
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Mike Farmilo
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The 2002 vintage in McLaren Vale produced some exceptional wines.The summer was South Australia’s coolest on record and the cooler ripening period lead to flavour ripeness whilst maintaining good natural acidity. The grapes were picked at optimum time, pressed, fermented and finally exposed to just the right amount of oak to provide complexity yet leaving the wine fruit dominant.
For the first time a small parcel of grapes from the cooler climate, Mount Jagged in the Fleurieu Peninsula, was blended to provide complexity. Acid was added just before bottling to increase the length on the palate.
Now 8 years old the colour has darkened and the aroma and palate show that wonderful buttery character so adored in mature Chardonnays.
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Burton
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2003 McLaren Vale Chardonnay
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Variety
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Chardonnay
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Alcohol
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13.5%
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Origin
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McLaren Vale, South Australia
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Winemaker
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Mike Farmilo
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20 millimeters of rain in late February and warm conditions in March led to early cropping, and advanced grape maturity. The Chardonnay harvest was completed by the first week of April. With the fruit showing great potential and of the highest quality for many years, it displays excellent flavours and depth without fatness.
With the picking of ripe fruit at optimum time the grapes were pressed and part fermented in oak and part in tank. A small portion of Semillon was blended just prior to bottling and the resultant wine was fined, stabilized and filtered.
The wine shows the benefit of optimally ripe fruit, both on the nose and the palate. The part barrel ferment is evident in both the texture and mouth feel, while the use of the Semillon blend adds great complexity, yet leaves this very attractive wine, fruit driven. The finish is long, soft and pleasing.
Now 7 years old the colour has darkened and the aroma and palate show that wonderful buttery character so adored in mature Chardonnays. The finish is long, soft and pleasing.
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Burton
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2004 McLaren Vale Chardonnay
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Variety
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Chardonnay
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Alcohol
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13.5%
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Origin
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McLaren Vale, South Australia
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Winemaker
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Mike Farmilo
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The longer than usual Vintage 2004 was attributed to generally cool conditions. Good winter and spring rains ensured even bud set and excellent soil moisture. Fruit condition at harvest was excellent and the resultant wines are rich in flavours.
The grapes were picked at optimum time and pressed with 90% tank fermented, 10% in new French oak barrels.
This wine is 86% Chardonnay, 14% Semillon, with 90% of the fruit grown in McLaren Vale and 10% in the Adelaide Hills. The various components were blended together just before bottling.
Typically regional, the wine shows atypical deep rich colour and gives a wonderful rich fruit nose. The portion of barrel ferment adds wonderful mouth feel. The addition of the Semillon blend brings a citrus note to the melon and butterscotch flavours adding complexity with a long acid driven finish.
The screw cap finish has helped to retard the wine’s development but some evidence of darkening of colour and an enriching of palate is apparent.
Recommended drinking up to 2013
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Burton
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2005 McLaren Vale Chardonnay
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Variety
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Chardonnay
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Alcohol
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13.5%
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Origin
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McLaren Vale, South Australia
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Winemaker
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Mike Farmilo
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Vintage 2005 saw a wet winter but good bud burst and early shoot growth. It was a generally milder summer but some extremely hot days led to an even ripening period.The necessary balance of baume and flavour were evident allowing the fruit to be picked at the optimum time.
This wine is 86% Chardonnay, 14% Semillon with 90% of the fruit grown in McLaren Vale and 10% in the Adelaide Hills. Approximately 20% of the wine was barrel fermented and allowed to slowly mature before being blended together just before bottling.
Typically regional, the wine shows a characteristic straw colour and displays a generous fruit nose.The portion of barrel ferment adds wonderful mouth feel. the addition of the Semillon brings a citrus note to the melon flavour, thus adding complexity.The wine has a long acid driven finish.
The screw cap finish has helped the wine retain its youthfulness in both colour and palate.
Recommended drinking up to 2014
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