2023 Single Vineyard 'Summit' Chardonnay

Winemaker: Erinn Klein

Grape(s): Chardonnay

GI: Adelaide Hills (Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia)

Site(s): Summit Vineyard - Winner 2023 'Vineyard of the Year', Young Gun of Wines

Vintage notes: The growing season leading into the vintage of 2023 was by all accounts our wettest and cooler in at least a decade. We managed to just stay on top of our disease pressure during the spring of 2022 and then benefited the rewards with near zero pressure close to harvest. A long, slow much later than normal harvest meant amazing flavour development, great acid retention in the grape across all varieties. Even our late Italian varieties we finally managed to get ripe.

Vineyard notes: Grapes in this wine are grown on our east-facing Summit Vineyard which collects more of the morning sunlight and less of the intense, direct afternoon heat. At an altitude rising from 330m to 360m above sea level, the soil of the Summit Vineyard consists of sandy loam over red-orange clay, sandstone and ironstone. Fruit for our Single Vineyard Chardonnay comes from a small section in the top and middle of this vineyard where the balance of topsoil over subsoil is optimal for vine balance, flavour concentration and structure. The entire farm is certified biodynamic and is farmed with the rhythms of nature, without the use of synthetic chemical inputs for over 40 years.

Winemaking: The Chardonnay grapes are hand harvested into small 15kg crates then whole bunch pressed with minimal settling overnight into new (30%) and old French oak barriques (228L) and larger format barrels (500 and 600L). Fermentation begins spontaneously with wild yeast from our vineyards and winery, with full malolactic fermentation occurring naturally. Wines mature on full lees for 11 months with no battonage. A small dose of sulphur is added at blending, just prior to bottling. No added yeast, no enzymes, no fining.

Tasting note: The 2023 Single Vineyard Chardonnay opens with elegant aromas of ripe honeydew, honeysuckle, and spring blossom, layered with notes of honeycomb, resin, and white florals. A delicate thread of roasted almond and cashew adds depth to the nose. The palate is creamy and savoury, with a fine mineral line carrying flavours of nectarine, subtle oak, and warm toast. Oak is seamlessly woven, offering quiet structure beneath the fruit. Fresh, precise acidity brings balance and length, while gentle phenolics and fine tannins lend poise. Refined and expressive, this Chardonnay captures the distinctive spirit of Ngeringa’s Summit Vineyard with understated confidence.