2020 Mt Alexander Shire Chardonnay
The Wine
Sparkling honey, nose tingling, just-ripe pear – when you cut it, and it’s just a tiny bit crunchy, but it’s ripe and juicy – that. This wine is that, on the first day of Spring after a long chilly Winter, the excitement to see a familiar, uplifting season – the first jasmine of Spring, rosebuds and fruit tingles, how good. A pleasing wine, full malo adds some mid-weight to the pallet that complements its warmth and friendly nature. Hard to put down – a freshly cut slice of pear dripping in fresh cream. Drinking this wine is like catching up with an old friend; you forgot how much you love them, and with every sip, you remember just how great they are – can’t put the glass down. Sip, sip.
The Vineyard
An eastern facing slope at the foothills of Mt Alexander, this vineyard was planted almost 40 years ago and is now owned and operated by Chris and Elissa Fazio. The soil is weathered granitic sands, which make an ideal site for this Chardonnay plantings. I met Chris in September 2019, outside the Duck Duck Goose Larder in Piper Street, Kyneton. It was a Friday afternoon, and I was looking out for a red ute. Chris has seen my marketplace ad on social media to sell a “bird squawker” to keep those pesty cockatoos and crows away. After a brief introduction and chat, I learnt that he and Elissa had 15 acres of vines in Faraday: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz and by happenchance, they were looking for folk to work with the fruit in 2020. I was keen, very keen, I said. And just like that… we had ourselves this incredible parcel of fruit. Thanks, Facebook Marketplace – we owe you one.
Winemaking Notes
Handpicked in early March, the whole bunches were delicately pressed into six aged barriques for ferment, using only wild yeasts from the vineyard. The ferment lasted almost one month. Racked into stainless steel in late May, the wine was stirred fortnightly for four months to enhance texture. Bottled under natural cork in late December 2020, the wine was not filtered or fined. Minimal sulphur.
Palate
Sparkling honey, crunchy ripe pear. The smell of Spring, rosebuds and Jasmine. Place, People or Play Place • This wine is an expression of our Faraday vineyard. Very little winemaking, raw and unadapted, this Chardonnay speaks for the unique site in which the grapes are grown.
Varieties 100% Chardonnay.
Soil Granitic sands.
Maturation In oak and stainless; 9 months.
Closure Natural cork.
The Wine
Sparkling honey, nose tingling, just-ripe pear – when you cut it, and it’s just a tiny bit crunchy, but it’s ripe and juicy – that. This wine is that, on the first day of Spring after a long chilly Winter, the excitement to see a familiar, uplifting season – the first jasmine of Spring, rosebuds and fruit tingles, how good. A pleasing wine, full malo adds some mid-weight to the pallet that complements its warmth and friendly nature. Hard to put down – a freshly cut slice of pear dripping in fresh cream. Drinking this wine is like catching up with an old friend; you forgot how much you love them, and with every sip, you remember just how great they are – can’t put the glass down. Sip, sip.
The Vineyard
An eastern facing slope at the foothills of Mt Alexander, this vineyard was planted almost 40 years ago and is now owned and operated by Chris and Elissa Fazio. The soil is weathered granitic sands, which make an ideal site for this Chardonnay plantings. I met Chris in September 2019, outside the Duck Duck Goose Larder in Piper Street, Kyneton. It was a Friday afternoon, and I was looking out for a red ute. Chris has seen my marketplace ad on social media to sell a “bird squawker” to keep those pesty cockatoos and crows away. After a brief introduction and chat, I learnt that he and Elissa had 15 acres of vines in Faraday: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz and by happenchance, they were looking for folk to work with the fruit in 2020. I was keen, very keen, I said. And just like that… we had ourselves this incredible parcel of fruit. Thanks, Facebook Marketplace – we owe you one.
Winemaking Notes
Handpicked in early March, the whole bunches were delicately pressed into six aged barriques for ferment, using only wild yeasts from the vineyard. The ferment lasted almost one month. Racked into stainless steel in late May, the wine was stirred fortnightly for four months to enhance texture. Bottled under natural cork in late December 2020, the wine was not filtered or fined. Minimal sulphur.
Palate
Sparkling honey, crunchy ripe pear. The smell of Spring, rosebuds and Jasmine. Place, People or Play Place • This wine is an expression of our Faraday vineyard. Very little winemaking, raw and unadapted, this Chardonnay speaks for the unique site in which the grapes are grown.
Varieties 100% Chardonnay.
Soil Granitic sands.
Maturation In oak and stainless; 9 months.
Closure Natural cork.
Wine Region | Heathcote |
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Liquor License | 32804719 |
Occasion | Smash |
Wine Tags | Exciting, Grower Producer, Low Sulphur, Minimal Intervention, Sustainable Practices, Womanmade |
Year | 2021 |
Size | 750ml |
Enable Enquiry | Default |