Driftwood Estate Artifacts Chardonnay 2022

Powdered sandstone, pomelo skin and golden delicious apples. Stewed pears, honeysuckle and nougat. Mock orange, lemon sherbet and freshly washed linen. Some lofty floral tones to the yellow based citrus fruit. Oak flavours scoop on in behind with vanilla sugar, cinnamon and buttercream. Hints of mirin and cashew on the finish. The nine months of oak maturation combined with fortnightly batonnage gives a creaminess and cushion softness to the acidity, despite there being no malolactic fermentation. This makes for an approachable Chardonnay of youth with poise. Drink now and will cellar for 6-8 years. A lovely wine to sit beside crab and saffron risotto.

Shanteh Wale

Contributor at Wine Companion

Shanteh cut her teeth at Sydney’s Award-Winning Quay restaurant where she worked for over a decade and was Head Sommelier from 2018 till 2022. She has been nominated for the Good Food Guide Sommelier of the Year award on three occasions and claims that her experience as a Len Evans scholar as one of the highlights of her career. Shanteh hosts her own weekly podcast ‘Over A Glass’ with the Deep in the Weeds Network and spends her time writing for various publications and judging at numerous wine shows across the country.

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