Weathercraft Beechworth Estate Chardonnay 2022

‘Same meticulous care as the Reserve Chardonnay, a mix of clones. Similar adjustments due to the cool 2022 vintage. Partial MLF, slightly lower in malic acid compared to the Reserve. Lower pH (~3.15) from naturally high acidity. A mix of free-run and pressings. Aged for 10 months in 25% new French oak.’

A cool vintage has led to a zippy and very enjoyable Chardonnay, which I’ve come to expect from Weathercraft. It offers delightful aromas of lemon and grapefruit, and a hay/straw note that I always love in Chardonnay, plus wax, some toasty oak, and almond/marzipan. There’s some reduction on opening the bottle but it falls away pretty quickly. The palate is silky, salty, bright and very appealing. It’s reasonably quaffable but you’d probably want to take a bit of time to enjoy it.