We had a wet winter on KI, which recharged soils with moisture in time for the growing season. November was quite windy, which can impact fruit set, but it turns out that this vintage we had a very even crop. Summer was mild without any big heat spikes which are perfect conditions for a long, slow ripening period. As a consequence, grapes from vintage 2022 have terrific fruit intensity and lovely acidity. 

We pick the grapes at night and bring them back to our Battle of Bosworth winery in Willunga, McLaren Vale. Grapes are gently pressed off their skins and then pumped into oak barrels (we use mainly hogsheads which are 500 litres). We use about 30% new oak; the rest is older oak. The chardonnay undergoes a full barrel ferment

We prevent the wine from going through the secondary fermentation (malolactic or MLF) as we want to keep the nice crunchy acidity. We bottle after about 6 months in oak, give or take.

• Halliday Wine Companion

  Organically grown, fermented wild in barrel, 30% new oak, no mlf. This is a fresh, almost racy style; pears and citrus, grapefruit, all the juices dripping, the flesh too, it's all there. Cedar oak is apparent if you go looking but as we all know, it's rude to look and anyway the fruit is the champion here. What oak there is is happy for the fruit to shine. It puts a smile on your face, this wine.

  93 Points

  Halliday Wine Companion
  Campbell Mattinson

• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2019
• 2018