Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2021 (75 cl)
Chardonnay Australia
Average critic rating: 96,2
Suckling : 98 Jancis Robinson: 17++ The Wine Front : 95
A very nice Chardonnay, full-bodied, energetic, very mineral and lively, all in tension but with great depth and a creamy texture..
Peach, pear, tropical fruits and a hint of lime are enhanced by cashew nuts, almonds and cinnamon.
To be drunk with a bar in the oven.
James Suckling : 98/100
A dense and structured white with aromas of white peach, honeysuckle, lemon tree and a hint of lime. A full-bodied wine with a beautiful mid-palate and an intense, lively finish. A wild and energetic wine. Wonderful depth and focus. To drink or to keep. Can age beautifully. Think what it will become. Screw cap.
James Suckling -28 December 2022
Jancis Robinson: 17++/20
Hand harvested. Pressed in whole bunches. Spontaneous fermentation in barrels with a very high solids content. Average of 553 NTU. Aged 9 months in French oak, of which 56% new. Six months in tank after blending. TA 6.8 g/l, pH 3.14. Bottled in June 2022, it won't be released until October 2022. Winemaker Virginia Willcock is still concerned about the fruity taste of wine (what she calls "devastating fruit") for the first 6-12 months after bottling, before it begins to show its more flavorful, smoky/mineral qualities. She would like to keep the wine longer before releasing it, but it is always out of stock for about six months of the year. This vintage should be marketed in the first months of 2023.
Beautifully and discreetly oak-spiced with - so far - very little sulfur character, although it does show a bit more with air. The stone dust mineral character is marked, even with all that youthful fruit. Extremely tight, not skinny, but textured, with a chalky feel. Crisp, dry, the citrus is a little bittersweet on the finish for now, but it's already showing that lovely creamy texture, plain and simple. As it warms and opens up in the glass, and after older vintages in the range, the fruit is really intense, more tropical, but still marked by lime. It would be a shame to drink it too young (JH).
Julia Harding – September 14, 2022
Maturity: 2024 - 2033
The Wine Front: 95/100
I don't know if it's a strange thing to say, but I've always thought that VF Heytesbury was the benchmark for 'modern Australian Chardonnay', and perhaps even surpassed the character of Margaret River .
There's a lot of tension here, a struck match, cinnamon-spiced oak, lime and pear, cashew and almond. The acidity is crisp and tangy, grapefruit and spice, a salty and seaweed character, a smooth caramel richness, a chalk-dust texture and a creamy but crisp finish with great cleanliness and flavor. nice length. It is very dry, fresh, but very good.
Gary Walsh - February 2022
Maturity: 2024-2031+
