Below & Above Chardonnay 2017

The Southern Forests wine region is a new one in between Great Southern and Margaret River and this wine shows little touches of both those regions, which are well known for the quality of their chardonnay. This is your classic young, cool climate style which is still fresh and lean. It is highly complex and the work in the winery is a feature with layers of smoky gunflint, spicy and savoury cashew nut aromas with touches of butterscotch all underpinned by citrus fruits. The palate is then acid driven and tightly focussed, again with citrus fruits, well matched to spicy oak before a long and drying finish guided by that firm acidity. It is a smart wine no doubt but does need time to flesh out and show its best.