Stefano Lubiana Collina Chardonnay 2022

The 2022 growing season was met with an extremely wet winter (one of the wettest on record). A cool and drying spring arrived and a warm summer followed. These conditions led to healthy vines and grapes. The cooler temperatures and long ripening season allowed for steady accumulation of sugar, phenolics and aromas with the wines from 2022 showing bright acidity paired with great aromatic intensity, perfect for ageing.

We have been making our Collina Chardonnay for 14 years now, and we only release Collina in an exceptional vintage. The aspect and geography of the Collina rows vary. The elevation varies from 25 to 30 metres and 60 to 80 metres. While the soil type of these rows of Collina are grey silty gravel over porous gravelly clay, and chalky with a cracking clay base over patches of chalky limestone. The vines vary in age between 20 and 30 years old. For our Collina we maintain low yields of less than 4 tonnes per hectare.

Hand-picked grapes are processed immediately. All fruit is pressed first and then the juice, on full solids, is gravity fed to fill both second and third fill 225L French oak barriques in our underground cellar. The juice’s indigenous yeast now erupts into spontaneous fermentation, going through full malo in the barrels. Once the wine is dry secondary fermentation begins with inoculation. Barrels are topped regularly and battonaged infrequently. The wine matures in these conditions until it is transferred to tank a month prior to bottling in June 2023. Our 2022 Collina Chardonnay is matured for over a year on cork prior to release in July 2024.

The 2022 Collina Chardonnay’s nose features lemon, lime, honeyblossom with a backdrop of fresh orchard fruits including white peach, nectarine and nashi pear. There is a slight flinty mineral scent which is homogenously bound with the wine’s smooth texture. The palate mirrors the fruit from the nose and introduces richer tones of lemon curd, mandarin peel and crème brûlée. The mouthfeel has a tight acidity which runs through the mellifluous texture, and the wine’s finish is rounded with full body. Our 2022 Collina is one to enjoy now or it can be cellared for 5 to 10+ years. – Steve & Monique Lubiana

Tasting Profile

Aroma:

Apple, Lemon, Nectarine

Palate:

Apple, Cream, Peach

Food Pairings:

Cheese

Fish

Poultry