The Spirit of i4c: How we Live it

The world of Chardonnay is bigger than most people know.  What gave rise to events like i4c, the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration, was the need to spur recognition among wine lovers of Chardonnay’s almost unlimited possibilities.

Malivoire’s adventure with Chardonnay began in 1999, when we released our first vintage from the previous fall’s harvest.  Our own young vines needed a little more time, so we purchased grapes from another vineyards.  The following year brought the release of our first all-Estate Chardonnay, and the first Moira Chardonnay.

Our Chardonnay family tree began to branch out with the release of our first Mottiar Vineyard Chardonnay, from the 2007 vintage, and Forgotten Row from 2010.

Today, our portfolio holds seven interpretations of 100% Chardonnay that we make every year.  Additionally, from any given vintage, we may create new Chardonnays that stand out from the others by origin, treatment, or both.  There have been four or more to date.  Finally, Chardonnay is, or has been, a component of at least five blended wines.

To accommodate wine’s most versatile variety, we have expanded our tools.  These now include traditional barrels, stainless steel vessels of various configurations, ceramic “orbs”, and a vast playbook assembled by our winemaking team, Shiraz, Andrea and Dan with their combined years of experience.

Of course, winemaking alone will not unlock Chardonnay’s myriad personalities.  The variety also lends itself to a multitude of farm strategies.  Vineyard Manager Steve, strategizing with Shiraz, oversees the cultivation of four distinct Chardonnay clones on three distinct sites.  By optimizing these through vine density, canopy management, fruit loads, hang time and other factors, our team can influence the character of grapes from a given block.  Doing so provides the fruit needed to offer a tempting range of flavours, textures and weights in our Chardonnays.  In other words, something for everyone.

This is how we embody the spirit of i4c, and why, after thirty years, the hectares we dedicate to Chardonnay continue to multiply.