• French oak
• Ripe pear
• Apple custard
• Rich & textural

"This is made with fruit from the Sexton Vineyard, at 200 meters in altitude (80 meters higher than Tarraford). Within the vineyard, the clones are dominated by Gingin (brought over to Victoria by Phil Sexton), followed by Dijon clones, planted in the 1990s. The 2021 Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay is composed of 60% Gingin. Twenty percent of the parcels went through malolactic fermentation—clone 277 and some of the 96. This is salty as anything—a very good thing in my book—and the sheer intensity of flavor in the mouth is mouthwatering. Preserved lemon and grapefruit pith lace the edges of the mid-palate. Very smart—it has the Yarra precision of acid and streamlined phenolics, but it brings concentration of flavor and thrilling phenolics. Super smart wine" Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

"A rich and textural chardonnay with tons of ripe pear fruit and floral complexity. On the concentrated palate this has a serious tannin structure and a bright mineral acidity that interlocks very neatly. Long, generous and complete finish. Drink or hold" James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com

"Made mainly from WA’s Gingin clone and planted in Gruyere on the same grey clay as Applejack. Whole bunches pressed into French puncheons with 20% new oak. Smells tightly wound and concentrated with aromas of ripe peach and nectarine, together with just a hint of lanolin and apple custard. Equally powerful and punchy on the palate. This has more of everything, including sprightly acid and some phenolic grip on the very long, stone-fruit pithy finish. Today, this is my pick of the 4 single-vineyard 2021 chardonnays, but who knows what will come out on top in 5 or even 10 years from now!" James Halliday Wine Companion

"Citrus here and red apple, with pear, the citrus both pure juice and preserved. Oak spice, and custard powder characters, are so well threaded, ginger nut/biscuit aspects rising through the finish. World apart from the Tarraford; perfect pigeon pair. The longer it sat in the glass the more those complex, juicy, apple-like characters blossomed, marzipan with them, nectarines squeezed with salted lemons. This is a wine of tight, complex power, the fruit pure and commanding, the finish taut but persistent" Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

2021 was a terrific vintage for both vineyard quality and quantity. We had a wet spring followed by a healthy amount of sunshine and some well-timed rain in January, leading to large green healthy canopies. The overall temperature during the growing season was cooler than average which led to a long slow ripening period and great concentration of flavours and natural acidity.

100% hand picked – a spectacular year with every block and clone contributing to the final blend. Whole bunch pressed, juice transferred to barrel by gravity with no settling. Fermented in 500L French puncheons. A small amount of bâtonnage and 20% malolactic fermentation. Maturation for 10 months in new and used French oak – 20% new, 80% older, Taransaud, Mercurey and D&J.