2021 Dappled Appellation Chardonnay

WINEMAKER: Shaun Crinion
REGION: Yarra Valley, VIC
VARIETAL: Chardonnay
VITICULTURE: Sustainable

A blend of upper and lower Yarra Vineyards - Clones P58, I10V1 and Dijon clones 76 and 95 - from three vineyards in Steels Creek, Seville and Macclesfield. All fruit is hand-picked and cooled overnight, followed by whole bunches being lightly crushed by foot before a long pressing when the un-sulphured juice is transferred straight to oak. The oak is a combination of 80% old and 20% new French Barriques, Puncheons and Demi-Muids. Ferments are allowed to start naturally (wild) and complete with no temperature control. The wine is not battonaged and left on lees for 10 months where some MLF may have occurred, but not encouraged, and SO2 is added when the wine is ready for it. The wine is lightly filtered before being bottled un-fined.

The 2021 fruit delivered a fabulous combination of ripeness and laser sharp acidity making this rendition of the wine stunning - and it’s a serious wine for cellaring. The wine displays beautifully complex aromatics of orchard flowers, yuzu and citrus, grilled hazelnuts with a whiff of smokey oak. The palate is creamy and textured with intense ruby red grapefruit acidity driving all through the wine - it’s delicate and weighty at the same time. It finishes with creamy lemon curd and oak spice. A very serious wine and will reward up to 5-8 years cellaring. Air is its friend, so a good decant or early opening is recommended.