Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2019

Vasse Felix have retained the Heytesbury name for their best chardonnay, while dropping it for their top red in lieu of the Tom Cullity. Winemaker Virginia Willcock has elevated these Vasse Felix chardonnays to the top echelon within Margaret River – which means Australia. This wine shows the influence of the cool vintage which has contributed to a refined and so elegantly crafted chardonnay. It does have more new oak than the standard version, but the power and intensity of the fruit handles it easily so the balance is maintained without a hint of excessiveness. Only natural yeasts are used and it gets nine months in oak with some batonage giving a slightly charry character that augments the intense grapefruit and pear characters on the palate. Long and defined, the fruit seems to glow with luminosity making this one of the finest yet under this label.