Australia’s first 100-point score awarded to a white table wine!
The 2021 Estate Vineyard Chardonnay follows on directly from the 2019, as no 2020 vintage was made due to bushfires. The winemaking remains consistent with previous vintages: hand-picked, lightly crushed, then basket pressed, fermented wild in oak in the gravity-flow cellar, matured for 18+ months in French oak (30% new), with 100% malolactic fermentation. The 2021 is backward and flinty at this stage, with a staggering flow of flavor across the palate. It has penetrating characters of saffron, yellow peach, preserved citrus, red apple skins, brine, crushed shells and Indian root spice. I acknowledge that I have a blind spot for high-quality oak. It is present here, but it is seamlessly integrated into and matched by the potency of the fruit presence. This is an unbelievable wine that will only grow in stature over the coming years. As for comparison to previous vintages? The best until now was the 2018, but the 2021 is tighter, more focused and even, if you can believe it, longer. My heart (and money) is here, by a whisker. What a phenomenal wine.
Winery tasting note - Golden lime green in colour. An intensely focused bouquet of jasmine flower, white nectarines and grapefruit, galangal and a waft of peaty, toasty oak making its presence in a discrete manner. As it opens, flint and matchstick add another layer to this incredible aromatic show. Multi-layered white fruits power the palate, while spice notes compliment the tingling impact of minerality on the finish. Rapier sharp in its attack and precision; piercing long, clean and steely. The depth of palate and textural roundness is considerable. The finish is tensile, savoury and immensely satisfying.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Cellaring: 3-15 years
