2021 Moonambel Chardonnay

colour

Beautiful light straw colour, highlighted by golden tints.

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 to ten years.

vintage

The 2021 vintage was idyllic in the Pyrenees in Victoria, and brought ideally-timed rainfall and ripening season temperatures tracking long-term averages. Higher yields and cooler conditions lent delicious natural acidity and produced Chardonnay of outstanding quality in this region.

winemaking

Fruit was handpicked and whole bunch pressed. The cloudy juice was then transferred directly to a mixture of new and 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 where 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.

Campbell Mattinson, Halliday Wine Companion 2024

Raciness and flavour, combined with aplomb. Citrus, pear, slate and flint characters launch from the outset, candied fruit and cedar notes emerging as it travels through the mouth. There's nothing lacking about this wine, and yet it seems zippy and refreshing; it will build flesh as it matures, and be better again for it.

94

Gary Walsh, The Wine Front 2024

I just wondered, prior to tasting this, if Julian Langworthy’s sweaty little fingerprints would be found on this wine? And yes, they are! It’s Pyrenees meets Margies! Tasted with a few People’s Choice Chicken Parmi Shapes. Ideal.

A little struck match, honeydew melon, white peach, maybe even some lime, with a honey biscuit spice on top. It’s lively, yet rich, a creamed honey and cashew richness in with pear and ripe lime. a juicy thing, though it finds balance between flavour and bright acidity, and the finish is long, glossy, flinty, and satisfying, and just a little bit savoury and pepperminty. Gee, Pyrenees Chardonnay has never had it so good.

94