A barrel selection of the very best Chardonnay parcels from the vintage. It was fermented entirely with wild yeasts and matured in French oak barriques with battonage for nine months. Our style of Chardonnay has developed significantly over recent years with complex vineyard character coming from less clarified juice and natural yeast.
Vintage Description
Moderate spring conditions in 2009 allowed for better flowering and fruit set than experienced in the previous two years. Consistent warmth through January/February ensured ideal ripening conditions.
97 Points
A wine that has come to represent the pinnacle in Australian chardonnay in a modern, powerful and complex style, this oozes tension. The nose is flinty and intense, delivering citrus and fresh-cut white peach aromas plus struck match, grilled nuts and lemon curd. A palate of genuine intensity, the powerfully rich fruit with deep and dense texture is cut perfectly by piercing acidity; flavors run through citrus and stone fruits with stylish grilled nuts and gently spiced woody nuances. Rarely do you find a chardonnay that marries complexity and purity this well. Drink now.
17.5
70% new oak. 'We hit our straps' with this vintage, says winemaker Virginia Willcock. (I had to look up that Australian phrase, though could guess it means 'reaching full potential'.) They were confident about whole-bunch pressing straight to barrel, higher solids. Gingin clone usually has higher skin to juice ratio because of the number of smaller berries. This wine won almost every trophy in Australia and changed the way people saw Vasse Felix as a Chardonnay producer. 1997 was the first vintage of Heytesbury Chardonnay. Subtle, smoky, almost oily nose. Underlying citrus but the fruit is in the background. Subtle and savoury and extremely long. Drink 2014-2025