The first Europeans to arrive in Australia were the Dutch in 1606 and following that, more than 50 Europeans made contact with Australia, calling it Terra Australis Incognita (the unknown southern land). In 1776, after the United States declared independence from the British, Australia started being used as a place to banish and deport criminals convicted in England. There, the first communities were organised on the basis of trade in agricultural and livestock products, as well as animal products, and there soon began an exploration of the vast Australian lands. Throughout this time the olive tree has been one of the most prosperous imported trees in regions like McLaren Vale in South Australia. So much so that today you can find them on roadsides, in gardens and occasionally, in the case of the renowned D'Arenberg winery, in the middle of their vineyards.
In homage to this tree that sometimes makes life difficult for grape harvesters, the winery has created D'Arenberg The Olive Grove Chardonnay. A single-variety Chardonnay wine from McLaren Vale in Adelaide, Australia. Once the grapes reach the winery, they are gently crushed in small batches, cooled and pressed in baskets. Fermentation then takes place at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks and then the wine is aged for 7 months in new and used French oak barrels.
The result is D'Arenberg The Olive Grove Chardonnay, a generous, pure white wine of great finesse. A Chardonnay that starts life among olive trees and, although they make it more difficult for the harvesters to do their job, once the wine is in the glass, the winemakers understand that their trouble was worth it.