Pike & Joyce The Kay Reserve Chardonnay 2023

This was a vintage that presented some challenges, but careful management in the vineyard has allowed some quality fruit to be produced. It was a very late vintage, too, so there are some nice flavour build-ups evident. After hand-picking a combination of whole bunch and de-stemmed fruit, followed by wild juice fermentation, with what’s become a house style of juice solids inclusion has influenced the style of the wine. Typically, only a small amount of malolactic fermentation is used, and then the best barrels are selected for the final blend. It’s a wine that shows slightly more winemaking influence than the Sirocco Chardonnay, with slightly more struck match and oak influence evident, certainly on the nose. There are nuances of Chardonnay grapefruit and a pithy lemon brioche that add complexity. The palate has a crispy, creamy character with slightly roasted cashew and nutty nuances offsetting. It flows effortlessly through to the finish and is both powerful and elegantly structured. It is an outstanding wine that typifies the style coming from Pike and Joyce these days.