Description
Shaw & Smith’s first vintage was in 1990, and have over 30 years of winemaking experience in the Adelaide Hills. Founded by cousins Michael Hill-Smith MW and Martin Shaw who are now supported by a formidable team of wine professionals. Making modern expressions of cool-climate wines that reflect site and climate. Own and farm vineyards in Lenswood, Balhannah, Piccadilly and most recently Lobethal. Committed to growing the best grapes possible and managing the vineyards in a sustainable fashion with an uncompromising pursuit of quality – all wines are fermented, aged and bottled onsite at Balhannah.
About this wine from the winemakers: “It’s high, it’s cool, it’s wet, and it’s a great place to grow Chardonnay. The Adelaide Hills has a reputation for high quality, but also has lots of diversity. The majority of fruit for this wine was sourced from our Lenswood, Piccadilly and Lobethal vineyards, grown on loams over clay and quartz, and complemented with fruit from a handful of trusted growers.
“A long, even growing season encouraged well formed bunches and healthy fruit development. While conditions were warmer and drier than we’ve seen in recent years, overnight temperatures remained cool throughout ripening – resulting in flavourful bunches with high natural acidity. Fruit was hand- picked between 5 February and 12 March.
“Hand-picked grapes are whole bunch pressed, then gently squeezed to the finest French oak barrels for fermentation. Here they spend 9 months, undergoing primary and secondary (malolactic) fermentation. Batches are then blended in stainless steel vats before bottling.
“Delicate yet complex, offering lifted notes of lemon peel, citrus blossom and subtle tempering spice. The palate is citrus-driven, with flavours of grapefruit and lemon. Fine, flinty layers and a touch of almond meal add depth and texture through the mid-palate while bright acidity (impressive for the warmer season!) gives length and precision. Moreish.”
96 points, Jeni Port, Wine Pilot “Superlative right now and, what’s more, promises so much over the coming years. You’ve gotta love a Chardonnay with those qualities already on board at just one year of age. The scent captivates in grapefruit and citrus, preserved lemon, saline notes, almond cream and spice. Vibrant, intense and layered in flavour, M3 moves fast, elevated by a crunchy acidity with an almost linear drive and a solid core of tantalising lemony citrus in the engine room. There is a lovely detail and poise here right now to explore with a warm almond mealiness, grapefruit pith, citrus, nectarine, woodsy spice and light savoury notes coming on stream on a developing creamy texture. Reveals a deeper side which can only build from here with more time in bottle. It’s built to last. M3 combines the best qualities of 21st Century Australian Chardonnay.”
93 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front “Shaw + Smith’s M3 Chardonnay is always very good, always widely available and usually pretty good buying. I’ve certainly consumed my fair share over the years. I don’t say this of white wine often but this release feels as though the flavours have been painted in watercolours. For me that’s not a negative but one person’s watercolours is another person’s diffuse. It’s minorly, minorly flinty, it flows with peach, pear, cedar and cooked apple flavours throughout, it carries a gentle rub of texture and it finishes with an element of tonic water. Everything seems in very good, if not excellent, order. It’s very straight-laced but I think that’s what the fruit, from this vintage, wanted.”
RRP $69 Our Special Price $49.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
