2013 Heytesbury Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
Warm to very warm in January and February, warmer than usual at night. Hand-harvested 6–24 Feb 2013 and whole-bunch pressed. Spontaneous fermentation in barrel with very high solids. Average 620 NTU. Nine and a half months in French oak, 75% new, two months in tank after blending. TA 6.7 g/l, pH 3.11. Bottled February 2014. This smells smoky and 'volcanic' (I guess that means a little bit sulphidic since there are no volcanoes in Margaret River ...) – rather like some wines from the Azores. So youthful, with pure citrus as well as all that smokiness. Tight, super-fresh, dry and not as creamy as the 2014. Remarkably youthful and elegant. (JH)
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Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Gingin clone. Moderate spring temperatures contributed to slower vine growth and increased disease pressure. Thankfully, a warm and dry summer ensured clean canopies and a timely start to the harvest. Small batches were selected and very gently pressed. The juice was then transferred to barriques and fermented wild with no yeast addition and was stirred throughout the nine months of maturation. An ingredient X on the nose. Is it the wild yeast? Real lift and depth. Bone dry and massive concentration and depth – with enough going on underneath. Gentle unfurling. Long. (JR)
(aged for ten months in French oak barriques , 73% new): Pale, green-tinged yellow. Vibrant, minerally and sharply focused on the nose, displaying an array of fresh and orchard fruit scents and deeper fig and brioche qualities. Sappy and penetrating, with a smoky mineral quality giving spine to the flavors of bitter pear skin, orange pith and honeysuckle. Smoothly combines power and finesse, with its mineral component driving a long floral finish. The pH of this vibrant Chardonnay is 3.11, which is quite low by New World standards for the variety and, in fact, lower than most Chablis; the residual sugar level is a very low 1.37 grams per liter.
Heady, pungent nose with the appearance of solids whizzing around all over the place. This is like an atomic explosion in the mouth. Great extract but great lift and delicacy too. A real marvel. Tightly wound but already approachable. (JR)
About the producer
Vasse Felix was the first winery in Margaret River, founded in 1967. Today, it is one of Western Australia’s – and the New World’s – most respected names, crafting outstanding, cool-climate Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from this remote region, south of Perth.