Byrne Farm Chardonnay 2023

Certified organic. The Chardonnay is sourced from three plots within the Balmoral block at Nashdale, with volcanic chocolate ferrosol soils at an altitude of 880 metres on the northeast-facing slope of Mount Canobolas. At almost 30 years of age, these are some of the oldest vines in the region.

2023 was another cool year for Jeff at Byrne Farm, though picking times returned to the ‘normal’ mid-March period, as opposed to the previous year’s early April harvest. For primary fermentation, the fruit was pressed as whole bunches to French oak puncheons (500-litre). Byrne used 30% low-impact new oak—very tight-grain, steam-bent barrels from the Mâconnais region of Burgundy—which he feels helps lift and focus the fruit without adding overt flavour. As in 2022, just 10% of the fruit went through malolactic conversion to give texture and to round out acidity. The wine rested in oak for 10 months, with regular stirring to add flesh before blending and bottling. Jeff’s delighted with the wine’s “great fruit purity and mineral acidity”. And, as is always the case with this talented maker’s wines, there’s serious bang for your buck here.