2024 Patrick Sullivan 'Black Sands' Chardonnay, South East Australia, Australia

2024 Patrick Sullivan 'Black Sands' Chardonnay, South East Australia, Australia

$57.99

Site(s): A single vineyard in Henty, Western Victoria Vintage notes: A balanced growing season with a dry spring and timely late-November rain set up healthy vines and clean fruit. Chardonnay ripened under cool, steady conditions, producing wines of precision and restraint. The 2024 releases display lifted aromatics, taut structure and a clear expression of Henty’s cool-climate.

Vineyard notes: The vineyard is located a short distance to the west of the township of Heywood in western Victoria. Planted in 1990 by Alistair and Alice Taylor the vineyard has produced some of the most interesting and pronounced chardonnay grown in Australia. The soil is a unique shallow blend of black volcanic sand and basalt over pure white limestone that runs deep.

Winemaking: The fruit is hand harvested into 450kg bins, chilled overnight and transferred to the winery, and then whole-cluster crushed into the press and drained off into tank for settling. Primary fermentation takes place in barrique (30% new) over three weeks followed by complete malolactic fermentation. Lees stirring occurs twice towards the end of primary fermentation then once more at the completion of malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged in barrique for eleven months.

ABV: 13.8%

Tasting notes: A nuanced and subtle chardonnay that presents place more than any particular winemaking slant. The nose is a blend of toasted wattleseed, nectarine, and lemon aspen (a spongey, floral native citrus), with subtle flint notes. Delicate and intricately-knit palate, persistent and balanced acid, with a firm core of fruit.

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