2023 Faultline Chardonnay

2023
Faultline Chardonnay

$80

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Tasting Profile

April 2025

This single-block wine is sourced from just 0.5 ha of 27-year-old Chardonnay vines within the Faultline block. Compared to the Farrago block, the soil contains less ironstone and more deep clay, leading to wines containing an earthy depth and a fuller, richer palate. The fruit was gently whole-bunch pressed directly into French oak barriques (20% of which were new), and fermentation occurred spontaneously with ambient yeasts. Following fermentation, the wine was aged on lees (without battonage) for 11 months and was racked only once, directly prior to bottling. The wine was bottled without fining and with minimal filtration.

Aromas of grapefruit and lime blossom rise alongside white stone fruit, underpinned by flinty reduction, toasted dough, and a creamy hint of yogurt. Subtle oak frames the profile with gentle allure and support.

The palate is vibrant and finely poised, with citrus fruit gliding along a crisp, linear acid line. Lees-derived texture and a delicate phenolic grip add depth and complexity. Pure, focused, and effortlessly driven, the wine carries through to a finish of remarkable length and clarity. While this wine is entering its peak drinking window now it can be enjoyed over the long term with careful cellaring.

13.5%

Tasting Profile 2023
Tasting Profile 2022
Tasting Profile 2021

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Reviews

Jancisrobinson.com, March 2025

Tamlyn Currin

From a 0.6-ha parcel in the Faultline vineyard, planted in 1996, north-facing, on deep clay soils, 100–120 m. Sustainable viticulture. Spontaneous fermentation. 25% new oak. This is powerful. Much more of everything than the Farrago, it’s a wine with temper, torque and nervous energy. Driftwood and smoke and something crisply savoury. Tightly, tightly folded and ironed. Vintage-linen texture. Bay leaves and wild tarragon. White apple. Green peppercorns. Slatiness that becomes saltiness. Tastes like cliffs. Mouth-watering and moreish. Lots of drama here.

17.5 points

Vinous, June 2025

Angus Hughson

The 2023 Faultline Chardonnay is stylish, offering a compact core of melon, granitic and chalk dust aromas lifted by fine oak and gunflint. Acidity is masterfully managed and well-integrated with vibrant citrus flavours, delivering a finely tuned finish with decent length.

93 points

Halliday Wine Companion, June 2025

Jane Faulkner

Faultline has morphed into an impeccable single-block wine of pedigree, detail and finesse.. Layers of flavour, yet restrained, nothing over the top here with grapefruit and lemon, struck-match flint, light cream-curd like lees. Moreish and savoury with mouth-watering acidity and a succulence throughout; really this is just so dammed good.

97 points

The Real Review, July 2025

Huon Hooke

Light, bright yellow hue; fresh and bright aromas of lemon, almond, meringue and crunchy pear. The wine is concentrated, fruit driven and full of energy, the palate flavour intense and beautifully rounded, with seamless harmony and terrific persistence. A sensational chardonnay which promises a big future.

97 points

The WineFront, July 2025

Gary Walsh

Grapefruit, lemon oil, green olive, mint, spice and cashew, a struck match character. It’s all lemon and grapefruit, quite a bit of citrus peel bite and tang to it, distinctly flinty and with some subtle creamy and yeasty flavours, lime juice almost into a salt crust margarita thing, with a tight finish of excellent length.

95 points

Reviews 2023
Reviews 2022
Reviews 2021

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The Vintage

Spring remained cold and wet, with 389mm of rainfall, making it the wettest Spring in 25 years. These conditions were challenging for our viticultural team. Waterlogged soils prevented access to the vineyards, with critical tractor operations delayed several times. Flowering commenced mid to late November amid continuing cold and wet conditions, which protracted our flowering period over several weeks. These challenging conditions prevailed until late December when we finally welcomed warm and sunny days. Fortunately, all our vineyards remained disease-free. Conditions for most of January and February were ideal. All our vineyards were healthy, albeit with very low crop loads. The mild conditions throughout late February and early March made this part of the season almost perfect for slow and steady ripening. Harvest commenced on 3 March and concluded on 14 April, slightly later than usual. Weather conditions were mild with temperatures below average and rainfall above average, providing gradual ripening throughout harvest with rain events being the only pressure. Our viticulture team worked steadily to deliver pristine fruit to the winery. Yields were lower than average due to the cool and wet 2022 Spring. Despite the low yields, fruit quality is exceptional.
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The Vineyard

The Kooyong vineyard is located on the Mornington Peninsula at Tuerong, on Miocene sedimentary soils. Our wines are made from domain grown, handpicked grapes and aim to manifest terroir: the integration of our geology and soils with the macroclimate of our region, the mesoclimates of the various sites within our vineyard and the weather of the annual grape growing season. Our cultural operations in the vineyard and practices in the winery endeavour to articulate these unique characteristics diligently, respectfully and without artifice.

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