Byrne Farm 'Single Barrel' Chardonnay 2024

Almost 20 years in the making, this is the inaugural release of Byrne Farm’s ‘Single Barrel’ Chardonnay. Jeff Byrne’s little black book of quality fruit contacts in Orange is packed, but he does have his favourites. Fruit for this wine is sourced from Jeff’s favourite block of 30-year-old vines (some of the oldest in the region) within the Balmoral block at Nashdale–the same source as for his regular Chardonnay. Perched on the northeast-facing slope of Mount Canobolas at a lofty 880 metres, these old vines are rooted in volcanic chocolate ferrosol soils.

The 2024 season saw a break in the cool trend of the preceding three years in Orange. A warm spring with some well-timed showers meant canopies were full and healthy going into summer. The mercury tipped above 30 degrees a dozen or so times, so picking came earlier with full phenological ripeness–no easy feat in this proper cool climate! The fruit was picked by hand and gently pressed as bunches to a single, new 2500-litre French foudre for fermentation. The wine matured for 10 months and went through full malolactic fermentation. This is a lovely first release, showcasing the consistent quality drawn from this site. Wisps of reduction give way to rich, ripe citrus and stone fruits with salt, flowers, grilled nuts and some very classy oak notes. There’s lovely fleshy weight cinched by cool-climate acidity and phenolic hold. Great length, too.