Soldiers Block Chardonnay 2024

Soldier's Block Chardonnay, Victoria, Australia, 2024

Grape: 100% Chardonnay, lightly oaked

Producer Tasting Note:

This vibrant Chardonnay exhibits lifted fruit character, bright tangerine fleshiness, textural mouthfeel, a bright palate and a long and foodie finish. The judicious blend of oaked Chardonnay adds palate weight and texture without overwhelming the fruit.

Winemaking: Long standing working relationships with some key growers enable sourcing of premium fruit, with the ultimate aim of making excellent quality Australian house wines with true style and character. Grapes are picked earlier than usual to ensure balance and freshness in the final wine. Harvesting took place in the early dawn hours when it’s still cool and calm which helps retain the rich characters within these grapes. Once in the cellar, they are gently crushed to maintain the bright, fresh flavours crucial to the clonal tang. Around 15% of the grapes are sourced from the cooler, sea breeze influenced Langhorne Creek area. This portion is barrel aged in French medium toast casks to obtain a more complex, textural and weighty style of wine. It is then added to the greater part of the blend which is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel to retain the fresh fruit characters.

Quintessentially Australian, the Soldier's Block range offers consistent quality, hugely appealing, commercial wine styles that have gained a loyal following. Reflecting the skill and experience in seeking out the very best of Australia, these wines capture ideal climatic conditions and pure varietal definition. Boutinot's Samantha Bailey brings her signature palate and decades of experience to finessing these components into the loveliest expressions of Oz.

Food Match: Full-flavoured fish such as trout and halibut, or chicken in a light creamy sauce