The Merricks Chardonnay fruit was hand-harvested and hand-sorted before it was whole-bunch pressed, then a natural primary fermentation with high levels of solids was in François Frères 500-litre puncheons (20% new). A small portion went through natural malolactic fermentation and the wine then rested on full gross lees for 10 months before bottling. Flanders seeks out slow and long lees interaction, choosing extended, gentle lees contact over bâtonnage for all his Chardonnays.