West Cape Howe have come up with something very special here. From the best vineyards around Mount Barker, individually selected blocks have been blended expertly to produce a Chardonnay that manages to toe the divide between fruit and oak-driven styles with ease.
An enticing off-straw colour in the glass, a swirl reveals light white peach aromas with hints of citrus and nutty undertones. The palate is medium bodied with a delicate creamy texture. Grapefruit and a touch of citrus sit alongside flavours of pear and white peach. Toast and spicy notes are subtle and balanced nicely. Lively citrus flavours ensure the finish is light and refreshing.
Awards and Accolades
Past Vintages: 2014
95 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion "From the best vineyard patches (ex a very large portfolio), barrel-fermented/matured in French oak. A vibrant and expressive chardonnay with grapefruit and white peach neatly balanced by each other, and likewise with the oak; the finish is long and fresh."
92 Points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front "This is more old school than the Old School. It’s nutty and intense, but lengthy. It’s a very good offering. It’s loaded with toast and cream notes but the fruit swishes and sways and expands through the finish. Pineapple, citrus, pear and peach. Explodes in the glass."
From the Winery
The best parcels of Chardonnay from our Langton vineyard were selected for our Styx Gully with the fruit harvested early in March. It was entirely fermented in French oak; a combination of 30% new, 30% once used and 40% older with the barrels stirred regularly for maximum lees contact over its nine month maturation period. This is a Chardonnay in the ‘modern’ Australian style; malolactic fermentation was prevented to produce a wine with complexity while still retaining maximum fruit flavour.
Don't Pay: $30.00
WBW Rating: 94/100
Closure: Stelvin
Region: Mount Barker, WA
Winemaker: Gavin Berry
Drink now until: 2023
Alc/Vol: 12.5 %
