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2018 Heytesbury Chardonnay

A selection of the most unique and striking vineyard plots, recognised for its innovative winemaking and distinguishing 'Heytesbury' character.

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Tasting Notes
COLOUR Pale straw with a green tinge. NOSE An enticing, complex array of citrus, lemon/lime rind and pith, with light pineapple and sweet pie crust. Inviting savoury complexities of mushroom, ocean and flinty fire cracker complete the elegant perfume. PALATE A fleshy entrance with lovely weight and richness is supported by the structure of classic Heytesbury acid and pithy firmness. An almost cuddly core reveals beautiful lemon sponge characters, then finishes dry with hints of fresh sage and stone flint.
Winemaker Notes
WINEMAKER'S NOTES Our most unique small vineyard sections where clone, aspect and soil interplay in such a way to ignite stunning varietal and wild yeast characters. Another cool season for Chardonnay, though picked two weeks earlier than 2017 and showing more fruit weight and ideal sugar levels. With moderate to high acidity, just over half completed malolactic fermentation. Beautifully ripe skins created a softer Heytesbury in this vintage. Hand-harvested, whole-bunches were pressed and transferred direct to barrel as unclarified juice. The wine was fermented with only natural yeasts from the vineyard and it remained in barrel for 9 months with some battonage. Fruit was 100% Gingin clone. A beautifully rich vintage for Chardonnay where the wines are looking approachable quite early yet will integrate and become deeper with time.
Varietals:
Production Notes
100% Chardonnay
Alcohol:
Alcohol %
13.0
Cellaring Potential:
Aging
Now until 2025
Harvested:
Harvest Date
Late Feb - Early March 2018
Oak:
Fermentation
French Oak Barrique, 42% New, 58% 1-3 year old, 9 months
TA:
Acid
6.8g/L
pH:
pH
3.19
Residual Sugar:
Residual Sugar
1.1g/L
Bottled:
Bottling Date
June 2019
Vintage Notes
2018

Similar to the previous season, the 2018 vintage experienced cooler than average conditions. Spring and early Summer delivered intermittent cool then moderate weeks before a run of below average temperatures in January and February. Late January rain led to a fear of disease, however a beautiful period of ripening followed with ample sunshine and strong daily sea breezes preserving vibrant fruit flavours and acidity. Our white varieties ripened with ideal sugar levels and high malic acid content for the third year running, resulting in a desire to allow some natural malolactic ferment in Chardonnays. Meanwhile the reds ripened slowly and gently through a dry Autumn ensuring fully developed tannins and a slightly riper and fleshier fruit profile to 2017.

2018 Heytesbury Chardonnay
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$133.00
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Reviews
  • Excellent - Langton's Classification VII

    Langton's Classification VII

    The glorious and expressive Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay is made up of individual sections of the Gin Gin clone. It evokes an exquisite balance between vineyards, emotional sensibility and technical brilliance. Batch vinification, bâttonage and maturation for nine months in around 60% (barely detectable) new and seasoned French oak results in a benchmark style with superb grapefruit and flinty aromatics, al dente textures and creamy complexity.

  • Vinous supermodel

    Winsor Dobbin

    One of Australia’s finest chardonnays, this is made by the talented Virginia Willcock at the beautiful Vasse Felix estate In Margaret River, Western Australia. You can taste the quality in a wine that is like a supermodel – beautifully put together without a hair out of place. Classic stone fruit and citrus characters sit aside beautifully integrated French oak, (42% new oak). The end result is seamless and elegant, but with a coiled inner power. A thing of beauty.

  • 98 points

    Ray Jordan, West Australian

    It's as if Vase Felix has been working towards this release over years. There is power and finesse and subtle expression. Lemony with cereal notes and roasted cashew. The palate holds it line to a long finish. Naturally fermented with nine months in new and old oak.

  • 98 points (Best of the Best by Variety)

    Jane Faulkner - 2021 Halliday Wine Companion

    Heytesbury has always been a yin and yang wine. It has power, structure and depth yet can appear reticent in its youth. The fruit is fabulous. Wafts of lemon balm, ginger cream and spicy oak too but it is all about the palate - linear, long, super fine, a tight acid line, it has a crushed rock character with moreish flinty sulphides - the list goes on. Everything in sync. It’s one heck of a classy chardonnay.

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