Dry White Wine
Vintage: 2010
Grape Variety:
100% Chardonnay
Growing regions:
Merom Hagalil (85%) – a vineyard planted on the lower eastern slopes of the Meron mountain range, and Tzuba yineyard (15%) in the Jerusalem Hills, both of which are elevated at 650 to 700 meters above sea level.
Growing conditions and climate:
In the Galilee – terra rossa soil over hard limestone with that allows for good root ventilation.
In Tzuba – shallow terra rossa soil with small pebbles and fossil shards that help with root ventilation and with high mineral content.
In the summer months the nights in these regions are cold and the days hot, with low humidity levels throughout the ripening period. These conditions allow for full ripening of the grapes while preserving their freshness and particularly high aroma levels.
The harvest:
The grapes are hand-picked overnight and placed in small crates.
Wine production process:
The bunches were pressed whole - a process typical to the Champagne region - in order to produce a complex and elegant wine. The must started to ferment in a tank with almost no clarification and after several days was transferred to 300 liter French oak barrels (30% new and 70% a year old) for further fermentation.
Some of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation at the end of the alcoholic fermentation process, and continued to age on the lees for eight months. The rest of the wine was kept in a stainless steel tank, where it aged on the lees without undergoing malolactic fermentation.
Binyamina Reserve Chardonnay 2010 is a blend of 75% barrel fermented wine and 25% wine from stainless steel tanks.
Tasting notes:
The combination of fermentation in new and used barrels and fermentation in stainless steel tanks, and the fact that only part of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation contribution to crafting a rich and complex wine that, although ready for immediate drinking, will continue to develop depth and complexity in the coming years.
It is a wine with abundant aromas and complex and distinct flavors of fresh citrus, peach, ripe melon and vanilla. Its texture is rich and elegant and the wine has a fine fruit-oak and a long pampering balance.
The wine is best served chilled with cold meat dishes, sea fish oven-baked with herbs and veal dishes.
The 2010 vintage is a particularly high quality one which produced grapes with a balanced ripeness. White wines from this year are characterized by impressive crispness, luscious and concentrated aromas and unique minerality.
Aging potential:
Under proper storage conditions the wine will continue to develop greater depth and complexity for the next 4-6 years.
Drinking temperature:
The wine is best served chilled at 8-12°C
Store in a cool dark place.
Wine Composition:
Alcohol: 14%
pH: 3.35
Total Acidity: 6 g/liter