2022 Moonambel Chardonnay

"Now all this chat about 2021 and here we are with the 2022 chardonnay, 2022 is like 2021 but with more concentration. I really think that this Moonambel Chardonnay is a lovely continuation of what I hope is a beautiful evolution of this immaculate site." – Julian Langworthy, Chief Winemaker.

Tasting Notes

colour

Beautiful light straw colour, highlighted by flashes of green.

aroma

Oatmeal, peach and honey; also that ever-elusive character of struck match. A beautiful vanilla spice.

palate

The palate is intensely focused with a powerful, defined acidity to highlight the mealy-tropical fruit. Subtle Burgundy oak supports role the intense savoury and mineral flavours. 

cellaring

Enjoy this wine over the next five years.

vintage

The 2022 season saw due a continuation of the La Nina weather patterns, with cooler weather and lots of rain prior to the growing season providing healthy vine growth. Cooler vintage temperatures produced fruit with vibrant natural acidity and more refined, delicate characteristics. Frost early on in the season caused some lower yields, however the resulting fruit shows deliciously concentrated flavour.

winemaking

Fruit was handpicked and whole bunch pressed. The cloudy juice was then transferred directly to a mixture of new, one and two year old French oak puncheons (500L) and barriques (228L). Fermentation occurred spontaneously with wild yeast over the next three weeks. Post-ferment the barrels were topped and the wine matured in place for the next nine months before careful barrel selection and bottling.

region

Pyrenees

variety

Chardonnay 

analysis

• Alcohol: 13.0%
• pH: 3.27
• TA: 6.16 g/L 

Linguine alla Vongole with fresh parsley.

Western Victoria Wine Show 2024

Toni paterson, Halliday Wine Companion 2025

A rounded, textured, layered chardonnay that has excellent integration of the fruit and winemaking elements. Alluring flecks of Geraldton wax and crème caramel decorate the concentrated core of green apples, ripe lemon and quince. Mineral acidity defines and focuses the palate. The wine has seamless flow and impressive back-palate persistence. The more air it has, the better it gets. A benchmark style for the region.

96

Huon Hooke, The Real Review 2024

Creamy cashew nut, lemon cheesecake, buttery croissant and lemon/citrus aromas, lots going on in here. Fruit and winemaking characters are both present and intense, and nicely harmonised. Delicious wine, lemon and grapefuit lingering on well after the wine has left the mouth.

94