Bicknell FC - Applecross
Yarra Valley, Victoria
Winemakers: David Bicknell & Nicky Harris
David Bicknell needs little introduction in Australian wine circles having worked for many years at de Bortoli and now at Oakridge where he was named Gourmet Traveller WINE Magazine, Winemaker of the Year in 2017.
Bicknell FC is a family winemaking project of Dave Bicknell and Nicky Harris. The project started with making random wines from interesting sites and, as they've moved through the years, getting their eye in, so to speak, they have settled into the good fortune of leasing one of those interesting sites.
The Chardonnay & Pinot Noir currently available are from Val Stewart’s vineyard at the top of the hill in Gladysdale. There is 1.0 Ha of chardonnay and 1.5 Ha of pinot noir. It was planted in 1988 with 3,660 plants/Ha, and sits between 332-363m ASL, in red volcanic soil.
Bicknell FC is a family winemaking project of Dave Bicknell and Nicky Harris. The project started with making random wines from interesting sites and, as they've moved through the years, getting their eye in, so to speak, they have settled into the good fortune of leasing one of those interesting sites.
The Chardonnay & Pinot Noir currently available are from Val Stewart’s vineyard at the top of the hill in Gladysdale. There is 1.0 Ha of chardonnay and 1.5 Ha of pinot noir. It was planted in 1988 with 3,660 plants/Ha, and sits between 332-363m ASL, in red volcanic soil.
2018 Applecross Chardonnay - NEW RELEASE
2017 Applecross Chardonnay
Back to a more normal vintage after the warmer, early 2016 vintage. With an almost identical crop load of 3.7 t/Ha, harvest took place 20 days later than in 2016 on March 19th. Analysis at harvest was 11.9° baume, 3.23 pH and 7.0 g/L of acid. Almost ideal numbers.
After passively chilling the fruit overnight in a cool room, the wine was whole bunch pressed directly to 500 litre puncheons (3-6yrs old) for fermentation. Fermentation occurred naturally and progressed to dryness over a three-week period. Once complete, the wine was sulphured on its fermentation lees, where it remained with monthly toppings until January 2018, when the vessels were blended into tank prior to bottling. Other than SO2, no additions were made to the wine.
2016 Applecross Chardonnay
With better flowering conditions than the previous year and a netted vineyard, we were able to pick near perfect fruit at 3.7 t/Ha. The seasons’ warmer conditions led to harvesting 12 days earlier than 2015 on February 27th. Analysis at harvest was 12.2° baume, 3.2 pH and 8.0 g/L of acid. Ideal numbers. After passively chilling the fruit overnight in a cool room, the wine was whole bunch pressed directly to 500 litre puncheons for fermentation. Fermentation occurred naturally and progressed to dryness over a three-week period. Once complete, the wine was sulphured on its fermentation lees, where it remained with monthly toppings until January 2017, when the vessels were blended into tank prior to bottling. Other than SO2, no additions were made to the wine.
2017 Applecross Pinot Noir
Harvest of the 2017 took place 31 days later than 2016, on April 4th, as we patiently waited for the malic acid to slowly degrade in the significantly cooler conditions. The crop load and harvest analysis were almost identical to 2016 at with 3.8 t/Ha coming off at 13.2° baume, 3.44 pH and 6.3 g/L of acid.
Fermentation commenced naturally after 4 days and progressed steadily through the next 14 days with just the odd pump over and some hand pigeage towards the end to liberate the last of the sugar. We then left the wine on skins for a further 4 days of maceration before pressing and transferring to barrels.
We resisted adding any new oak, so had just under 13% second use oak, the rest all older than 5 years of age. The wine completed malolactic fermentation in May, and was sulphured on its lees, where it remained for a further 9 months until blending in January. Other than SO2, no additions were made to the wine.
2017 Applecross Chardonnay
Back to a more normal vintage after the warmer, early 2016 vintage. With an almost identical crop load of 3.7 t/Ha, harvest took place 20 days later than in 2016 on March 19th. Analysis at harvest was 11.9° baume, 3.23 pH and 7.0 g/L of acid. Almost ideal numbers.
After passively chilling the fruit overnight in a cool room, the wine was whole bunch pressed directly to 500 litre puncheons (3-6yrs old) for fermentation. Fermentation occurred naturally and progressed to dryness over a three-week period. Once complete, the wine was sulphured on its fermentation lees, where it remained with monthly toppings until January 2018, when the vessels were blended into tank prior to bottling. Other than SO2, no additions were made to the wine.
2016 Applecross Chardonnay
With better flowering conditions than the previous year and a netted vineyard, we were able to pick near perfect fruit at 3.7 t/Ha. The seasons’ warmer conditions led to harvesting 12 days earlier than 2015 on February 27th. Analysis at harvest was 12.2° baume, 3.2 pH and 8.0 g/L of acid. Ideal numbers. After passively chilling the fruit overnight in a cool room, the wine was whole bunch pressed directly to 500 litre puncheons for fermentation. Fermentation occurred naturally and progressed to dryness over a three-week period. Once complete, the wine was sulphured on its fermentation lees, where it remained with monthly toppings until January 2017, when the vessels were blended into tank prior to bottling. Other than SO2, no additions were made to the wine.
2017 Applecross Pinot Noir
Harvest of the 2017 took place 31 days later than 2016, on April 4th, as we patiently waited for the malic acid to slowly degrade in the significantly cooler conditions. The crop load and harvest analysis were almost identical to 2016 at with 3.8 t/Ha coming off at 13.2° baume, 3.44 pH and 6.3 g/L of acid.
Fermentation commenced naturally after 4 days and progressed steadily through the next 14 days with just the odd pump over and some hand pigeage towards the end to liberate the last of the sugar. We then left the wine on skins for a further 4 days of maceration before pressing and transferring to barrels.
We resisted adding any new oak, so had just under 13% second use oak, the rest all older than 5 years of age. The wine completed malolactic fermentation in May, and was sulphured on its lees, where it remained for a further 9 months until blending in January. Other than SO2, no additions were made to the wine.
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