L.A.S. Vino Wildberry Springs Chardonnay 2020

Fascinating wine this, which shows the quality you would expect from Margaret River Chardonnay with incredible depth of fruit, but also in a left-of-field style. Fruit from Wilyabrup, traditionally the home of top cabernet sauvignon, is picked on two different dates – early for acid and later for flavour. It’s then barrel and clay fermented before around a year of ageing in the same vessel. It’s a neat trick and provides the wine with many levels both of texture and flavour – it is quite the ride.

The colour is youthful and pale before aromas that are also bright, fresh and understated. Flinty, floral notes are first before the more traditional nectarine comes into the picture offset by some young oak that sits in balance. The palate is then flinty and chalky with a strong core of citrus fruits and savoury, nutty complexity. Super power gives a very long finish, again supported by oak. It’s tight right now but was even better on day 2 suggesting this is a wine with a strong future ahead of it. There is one problem – only 200 dozen were made which will no doubt be snapped up in quick time. Give this wine a decant to see its best.

Image supplied by Ryan Murphy Studio