Clarence House Estate Chardonnay 2023

Entirely from a single block, three clones of Chardonnay (including the prized Penfolds clone) reside on an east-facing slope with views back towards the Clarence House homestead and Mt Rumney. Picked in the first days of April, whole-bunch pressed and allowed to ferment wild in a combination of new and old French oak barriques and puncheons.
Fine but flavoursome, with apple and citrus, a whiff of sulphide/struck match complexity, fennel, and spicy oak in discreet mode. There’s a nice energy and crunch, flinty feel, and a tight finish of impressive length. Style plus, and more importantly, a lovely thing to drink.