2021 Basket Range Estate Chardonnay

WINEMAKER: Sholto & Louis Broderick
REGION: Adelaide Hills, SA
VARIETAL: Chardonnay
VITICULTURE: Organic

"Estate grown Chardonnay (G9V7 and Antav95 clones) planted on a north-facing site just behind the winery. The fruit retains a nice acid line, and is made to build texture around citrus pith, with a bright core." – Basket Range Wine

The Broderick family are synonymous with the Basket Range. Phil Broderick, long-time friend of Stephan George of Ashton Hills, purchased a block deep in Basket Range in 1978 and planted a small vineyard of Bordeaux varieties 2 years later. In the late ‘90’s Phil and wife Mary bought a neighbouring block and planted a second, larger vineyard in 2000, this time predominantly to Pinot Noir plus some Bordeaux varieties and Saperavi. Chardonnay has recently ben added for a source of white. Phil has continuously crafted tiny volumes of classic long lived reds since the 1980’s known mostly to friends and few small Hills venues.

In 2016 the second generation, brothers Sholto and Louis, started Basket Range Wine mark 2. Since then, they have transitioned from mostly growing grapes to an estate based label using all their own fruit now supplemented with a small amount from other Hills’ vineyards. Early influences and mentoring came from local winemakers Taras Ochota, Jasper Button, Charlotte Hardy, Michael Downer and Gareth Belton, which helped cement firm philosophies of organic farming, minimal handling and sensitive use of sulphur. With early releases pushing boundaries, the pendulum has centred. Today Sholto, backed by a recently completed Oenology degree, is crafting some of the most elegant, finely structured Adelaide Hills wines, led by the 'Estate' releases along with earlier drinking styles comprised of fruit from their vineyard as well as some purchased Hills fruit. Basket Range Wine is both a pioneer and a new wave leader; an important Adelaide Hills reference.