AUSTRALIA WIDE SHIPPING INCLUDED
The quintessential Margaret River Chardonnay, made from a selection of Vasse Felix’s premier plots of powerful Chardonnay. Made in the modern Margaret River style of elegance, power and restraint, with the wild complexity which distinguishes Vasse Felix Chardonnay.
APPEARANCE: Bright, pale lemon yellow.
NOSE: Resolved and fine, revealing complex perfumes of lemon custard, accented by a hint of fennel seed and yellow flowers. The beautiful influence of yeast lees is evident, with enticing aromas of shortbread, lemon meringue, and crunchy nectarine.
PALATE: A tight, elegant palate with impressive fruit weight and underlying power. Beautifully mouthwatering, with a subtle saline minerality and polished acidity. The finish is dry and savoury, enhanced by delicate notes of nectarine and wood spice.
WINEMAKER COMMENTS:
Selected Premier sections of Chardonnay from our two vineyards in Wilyabrup and Wallcliffe, both on the lean soil of the coastal ridge, produce concentrated low yielding Chardonnay. Some sections were hand-harvested, gently whole-bunch pressed and transferred to French oak barriques as unclarified juice for fermentation. The balance were Selectiv harvested and direct pressed with very high solids, cloudy juice, racked to barrel.
All batches were fermented with natural yeasts from the vineyard. Each batch was left on lees in barrel for 9 months of maturation with an additional 6 months blended in the cellar for harmonisation before bottling. The majority of our Premier Chardonnay sections are Gingin clone (78%), which offers strength, power and structure and the balance, small sections of Bernard clones 95, 96 and 76 which bring lightness softness and creaminess for ultimate palate comfort.
Cellaring Potential:
Enjoy now fresh, 5+ years for complex, aged Chardonnay
Vintage Description:
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 mild 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.
