2021 Estate Vineyard Chardonnay

After a tough 2020 vintage with wildfires that meant they produced no Giaconda, this was a balanced and pristine vintage in comparison, and we are rewarded with this stunning wine. Take your time, allowing for the gunsmoke reduction to clear, followed by a slow release of flint, greengage, white peach, citrus zest and sage flavours, all juicy and mouthwatering, unwavering in its grip and lift, with salted cracker and oyster shell coming in underneath. Shows a complexity that keeps you rooted to the spot. All French oak for ageing, at around 30% new. Located in an old historic goldmining town established in the late 1800s, with decomposed granite soils on the foothills of the Victorian Alps, around 440m altitude, 1m topsoil over solid granite, producting one of the great white wines of the world. Certified organic, wild yeast fermentation.
100/100 Jane Anson

The 2021 Giaconda Estate Vineyard Chardonnay needs a lot of shaking to conjure wafts of ripe, juicy Bosc pears, Golden Delicious apples, and struck flint, followed by fragrant hints of lime leaves, orange blossoms, Marcona almonds, coriander seed, and sea spray. The medium-bodied palate delivers unbelievable intensity for its delicate weight, featuring a satiny texture and jaw-dropping tension, finishing with a long-lingering firework display of citrus essence and chalky mineral notes. Since it’s a touch shy and restrained right now, it would be a shame to drink it before it’s had 3-5 years in cellar, after which prepare for it to go atomic. But since it’s so, so tantalizing, if you must, be sure to decant it a good hour or two before serving. This is as good as Chardonnay gets and then some.
100/100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown; The Wine Independent