I acknowledge that I have a blind spot for high-quality oak. It has penetrating characters of saffron, yellow peach, preserved citrus, red apple skins, brine, crushed shells and Indian root spice. The 2021 is backward and flinty at this stage, with a staggering flow of flavor across the palate. The winemaking remains consistent with previous vintages: hand-picked, lightly crushed, then basket pressed, fermented wild in oak in the gravity-flow cellar, matured for 18+ months in French oak (30% new), with 100% malolactic fermentation.
The 2021 Estate Vineyard Chardonnay follows on directly from the 2019, as no 2020 vintage was made due to bushfires.
