Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay 2023

The hallmark of all three new Single Vineyard releases is their youth and their promise yet to be fully revealed. The Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay possibly reveals this feature the most. The first day after opening it remained taut and a little closed with a strong line of acidity featuring. It called out for a decant. The second day, it started to loosen up and then there were some lovely scents and flavours emerging in summer stone fruits, citrus, white peach, melon and apple with a dash of dried herbs. From that point of view, it looks very much like a reflection of its vintage which was the wettest and the coldest of three successive La Niña years. Acidity remains vital, vibrant and a real feature, chalky and dry, and with that level of acidity this is a wine very much in waiting with a good life ahead of it for 10 years or more. And, with what is some mighty promising complexity coming on stream, it’s going to be worth the extra time and care you give it.