In Dreams Chardonnay 2023

Description

In Dreams is located in Healesville in the heart of the picturesque Yarra Valley, set among 42 acres of gently sloping, predominantly north-west facing vines. It is a space perfect for small-batch, quality winemaking, complete with a selection of small open top fermentation vessels and a barrel hall for wine maturation.  “Our grapes come from the cool-climate vineyards of the Upper Yarra for their minerality and vibrancy, with smaller parcels from the slightly warmer vineyards on the valley floor for their plush, fruity character. For us, it’s all about balance and purity of fruit.”

Anthony Fikkers belongs to a new generation of winemakers who believe a hands-off approach from vineyard to bottle results in wines brimming with personality and authenticity. This philosophy allows the fruit to shine, and the resulting wines are unadulterated, expressive reflections of time and place. Anthony started his vinous career in the Hunter Valley before moving to the Yarra to pursue his passion for cool-climate winemaking, in particular Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Over the last sixteen years, Anthony has worked for a swag of prominent wineries including Giant Steps, Mac Forbes and Medhurst, as well as working vintages in Burgundy, Piedmont and Baden.

About this wine from the winery: “In Dreams Chardonnay is all about balance and purity of fruit. We carefully select grapes from vineyards in Woori Yallock and Yarra Junction in the cool Upper Yarra, for their minerality and vibrancy.  Fruit comes from a selection of vineyards spanning the Yarra Valley but focusing on the township of Yarra Junction in the Upper Yarra Valley. Other vineyard sources are located in Coldstream, St Andrews and Yarra Glen. Altitudes vary from 130m above sea level to 240m, and soil types include both red volcanic loams and grey clay loams overlying mudstone.

“Pressed to stainless steel for a quick settle before transferring cloudy juice to French oak (10% new) for fermentation and maturation. Malo-lactic fermentation was discouraged. Assembled and bottled in December 2023.

“The 2023 vintage was a cool and wet growing season in the Yarra Valley, producing small crops of well-balanced fruit. The season started two weeks later than usual allowing the development of lovely fruit characters and good concentration. The 2023 In Dreams Chardonnay displays the classic Upper Yarra Chardonnay characteristics of citrus, just ripe stone fruit and a refreshing line of acid.

“Pale straw in colour, showing lifted aromatics of lemon peel, guava, just-ripe nectarine, and thyme. The aromas carry through to the palate, which has a saline, wet rock minerality and preserved lemon at its core. A nougat, brioche-y richness with some talc-like oak phenolics help carry the wine to the finish and blends seamlessly with the wine’s naturally vibrant acidity. 13%alc.”

93 points, Brendan Black, Wine Pilot “A mélange of fruit from several vineyards dotted around the Yarra Valley, as well as different clones, this is a cohesive and very appealing Chardonnay. With no malo after the primary ferment, and still quite a young thing, the characters are steely and bright, preceded by some reduction which melts away after an hour or so of breathing. There’s heaps of fruity lemon, lime and nectarine, some savoury straw and cucumber, and even a touch of ocean spray saltiness. The palate is lustrous, with zingy minerality and a tantalising flintiness, giving the wine a great mouthfeel.”

RRP $33  Our Special Price $24.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.