Description
Shadowfax located 30 minutes from Melbourne was established in 1998. Winemaker Alister Timms has a strong focus on regionality with the majority of fruit sourced and hand-harvested from their vineyards in the Macedon Ranges and Werribee as well as small growers in Geelong. Each and every vineyard has its own distinct characteristics and produces grapes of only the highest quality. They have taken tremendous strides in recent times, with the team refining the range and proving their prowess with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Their single-vineyard Chardonnays have taken out Best Chardonnay at the Macedon Ranges Wine Exhibition no fewer than five times. Especially noteworthy have been the Little Hampton Vineyard in Macedon’s high-altitude plantings of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Macedon is the chilliest region of Australia’s mainland, perfectly suited to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and its location south of the Great Dividing Range produces excellent acid retention in grapes. These are the vibrant future of Australia’s cool-climate wine scene.
About this wine from the winemaker: “A highly sought after single vineyard Chardonnay from our Midhill vineyard in the Macedon Ranges. Lemon zest and grapefruits, and a minerality shine through while white floral notes, lemon and grapefruit pith add intrigue. The mineral palate is concentrated yet continually develops. A great example of cold climate Macedon Ranges Chardonnay.
“A cool spring in the Macedon Ranges set medium size crops. A very cool summer and mild autumn led to a very long growing season. This vineyard near Romsey is 540m above sea level, was planted in 1993 in deep red alluvial soils. Grapes ripened late in the season with full flavour and phenolic ripeness. Fruit was hand picked in small batches in pristine condition.
“Hand harvested fruit was firmly whole bunch pressed to impart some skin contact to release the full flavour profile and impart some phenolic texture. Natural ferment occurred in new (30%) and older French Hoggs Head and puncheon barrels. The wine was left to unwind and age slowly on its ferment lees to add generosity. Every barrel was treated as is own entity, with some allowed to go through natural Malolactic fermentation to add further depth. After 11 months the wine was racked and filtered prior to bottling in February 2023.
“Light straw, green hue and brilliant clarity. This distinctive Macedon Ranges Chardonnay bursts from the glass with white florals, mineral notes, lemon and grapefruit pith. Hints of lees are complexed with toasty oak notes. The perfume is persistent and intriguing, pure, yet complex.
“Lemon zest and grapefruits spill immediately onto the palate. These fruit flavours are augmented with wild ferment characters such as choux pastry and barrel toast complexity. The wine walks a tightrope, with sherbet acidity and lime pith falling off the side yet a great punch of concentration. The mineral palate is long and intense yet continually develops. A Chardonnay with real grown flavour from this special site.”
95 points, Jane Faulkner for Halliday Australian Wine Companion “There’s plenty to like, although it feels as if it’s still coming together. Spicy oak to the fore, lemon and lime, chicken stock, flinty, moreish sulphides. It’s tight, a little nervy and twitchy. There’s an ever-so-light layer of texture via lees, with oak adding some tannic pull, yet this is led by fine, mouth-watering natural acidity. March 2025”
95 points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review “Light and bright straw yellow hue. Yellow peach, butterscotch and flinty reductive aromatics. Big and powerful pineapple and peach fruits at the core, wrapped around that intense fruit is smoky nuts, bacon fat and flinty minerality. Everything is turned up to full volume and it runs very long.”
RRP $74 Our Special Price $62.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
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