2023 Filius Chardonnay
A contemporary house style with versatile drinkability. It is a vibrant and modern Chardonnay with pure fruit, wild complexities and mouth-watering natural acidity. An earlier drinking style with alluring savoury nuances from Vasse Felix’s quality-led, minimal intervention winemaking approach.
A cool dry spring delayed vine development by 2-3 weeks, allowing time to open canopies which paid off come veraison. December, January and February brought consistent dry and warm conditions which saw vine development catch up nicely. Yields and bunch weights were a highlight, with fruit displaying beautiful balance. Ideal mild conditions allowed Chardonnay to develop bright acidity and sound flavour ripeness. March brought three small rain incidents, the most significant of which occurred post white harvest. Cool evenings and moderate daytime temperatures with afternoon sea breezes were ideal for gentle, consistent tannin ripening in our reds which maintained dense flavour. Low Marri Blossom presence resulted in the largest netting program since 2019, with bird pressure at a high during harvest. Overall, vineyard plots have shown excellent balance with more fruit and canopy, reflecting vine health and minimal heat stress from a milder season.
