Shaw & Smith Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay 2024

The Lenswood vineyard was planted in 1999 and sits at 455–500m elevation. This was hand-picked and hand-sorted, gently whole-bunch pressed, then fermented in 500-litre puncheons, 30% new. Full malo and 10 months in oak. This is intense and immediate in its perfume with red apple flesh, fine cedar, flint and lees-derived pastry dough leading to grilled almond and white peach. There’s some cinnamon apple and peach skin with air. The palate is at once precise and expansive — white peach and powdery red apple flesh followed by cinnamon roll, finger lime and a shot of salinity before crackling acidity and powdery phenolics ripple and shimmer through a long, poised and incredibly fresh finish. A classy wine, imbued with freshness, complexity and definition.