2021 Single Vineyard Chardonnay

"The cooler 2021 vintage is viewed as exceptional for Chardonnay and has produced an elegant wine of the highest quality with character distinct to only Ellens Ridge Vineyard.

Ellens Ridge Chardonnay is a powerful wine but with a long, linear shape on the palate that carries flavour to an extraordinary length and finishes with incredibly refreshing acidity. This strength of fruit lays the foundation for winemaking to contribute nuances of complexity through the use of wild yeast, barrel fermentation (with the inclusion of cloudy juice prior to the onset of ferment), and a touch of natural MLF to add another layer of intrigue – all while showcasing and ensuring the unique fruit profile of Ellens Ridge Chardonnay is at the forefront of the wine. A true Single Vineyard reflection."

Senior Winemaker, Matt Byrne    

colour

Brilliant clarity. pale straw. 

aroma & palate

Captivating layers of flavour and texture from the finer 2021 Margaret River vintage. Crunchy stone fruit and melon, fresh pear and citrus flavours marry savoury notes of fresh toast & flint, dried herbs and a malty lift from barrel fermentation on solids.

The powerful nature of this wine is kept in check with the hallmark limey acidity and chalky taughtness which gives heightened dryness, refreshment and carry to Chardonnay wines made off Ellens Ridge Vineyard.

cellaring

Drink within four to six years from vintage. 

vintage

Ellens Ridge Vineyard is located north-west of the Margaret River township in the proposed Wallcliffe winegrowing sub-region (Burnside locality). The vineyard is on the eastern edge of Caves Road and 4km from the Indian Ocean. This strong maritime influence moderates the temperature during the summer months, allowing for an extended ripening period. When these conditions combine with cool nights, (as experienced in the 2021 vintage) this allows flavour to build over an extended time period whilst preserving acidity – a rare feat that very few vineyards are able to achieve. 

The cooler 2021 vintage is viewed as exceptional for Chardonnay and has produced an elegant wine of the highest quality, with character distinct to only Ellens Ridge Vineyard.

winemaking

A pure, hands-off approach was used in the making of this wine to allow the vineyard character to sing. Once the decision was made to pick, the hand-picked fruit was cooled overnight to 8C in a cool room before the cool, whole bunches were loaded into a small press. Delicate pressing followed which released the early highest quality free-run juice fraction which equated to 440L/T. The cool, cloudy juice was then transferred to barrel (228L French oak barriques from Tonnellerie Treuil exclusively used) to undergo wild fermentation. Following ferment, all barrels excluding 1 were topped and bunged destined for maturation. This barrel was allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation to impart subtle complexity, texture and balance to the end wine. The wine remained in barrels for 10 months and was stirred monthly to ensure the yeast remained in suspension at all times. Once the 12 barrels were blended into a stainless tank, it remained on yeast lees to mature for a further 9 months. Once balance and style were achieved the wine was bottled and matured further prior to release.

The above winemaking decisions were chosen to achieve complexity and the house style in the final wine without sacrificing freshness or the potential for longevity – a rare achievement in Australian Chardonnay winemaking.

region

Margaret River

variety

Chardonnay  

analysis

• Alcohol: 13.0%
• pH: 3.07
• Acidity (TA): 7.83 g/L
• Vegan friendly

Grilled Tasmanian Salmon with a lemon butter sauce.

Royal Hobart Wine Show 2023

Wine Show of Western Australia 2023

Campbell Mattinson, Halliday Wine Companion, October 2023

From Block 1 of the Ellens Ridge vineyard at Wallcliffe in the Margaret River region. There's no doubting this wine's quality; it strikes you from the first sip. It tastes of sweet pears, nectarine, peach and grapefruit and feels intense and joyous from start to finish. Smoky, bacon-y oak plays a keen-but-supporting role, acidity is juicy and well flavoured, and the finish is sustained. In short, it's lovely.