Patrick Sullivan Woori Yallock Chardonnay 2024

The fruit for this wine comes from the coveted Lusatia Park vineyard in the upper Yarra Valley, planted in 1985 to red basalt soils. As with all of the 2024 releases, this was barrel fermented before full malo and elevage in barrique for eleven months with 30% new. 13.8% abv. There’s some exotic floral undertones here with greengage and apple blossom sitting above dehydrated lime, lemon peel, grapefruit, flint, cinnamon and cedar wood. A swirl of the glass deepens things unlocking subtle cashew, pickled herbs and savoury green olive brine making for a complex and powerful aromatic presence. The palate follows suit in its depth and power, though still with a sense of being light on its feet. Grapefruit, lemon zest, brine, flint and cedar sit at the fore in a balanced creamy texture, followed by green apple, cinnamon and pickled herbs again. There’s good concentration here, and it’s wonderfully furled within bright and cooling acidity that washes everything through the back palate to good length. I like the savoury brine-like notes here, they build into the wine with air and act as a lovely foil to the fruit. A classy release.