Vasse Felix has been at the fore of modern Chardonnay for several decades.
Notably, the 2010 vintage of icon HEYTESBURY Chardonnay became the most awarded wine in Australian history after it won eleven trophies in national wine shows.

The original vinous chameleon, Chardonnay takes its cues from site and winemaker more than any other grape varietal, to reflect a true house style. The Vasse Felix Chardonnay vinification sees the grapes picked early in the morning, chilled, pressed and fermented in French oak barriques as unclarified juice, with only wild yeast and a controlled level of oxidative handling. Malolactic fermentation is encouraged if it occurs naturally.

The approach, championed by Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock and team since 2007, challenged widely-accepted wine conventions of their time, and inspired a paradigm-shift for Chardonnay-making in Margaret River and Australia.

Chardonnay is grown in all of the Vasse Felix vineyards, with Western Australia’s heritage clone Gingin the priority. Gingin is ubiquitous with Margaret River and known for its small bunches (around 70 to 100 grams) and its ‘hen and chicken’ berries (millerandage). The grapes are intense, concentrated in fruit power and retain high natural acidity. Gingin clone vine vigour is moderate, and bunches ripen slowly, enabling excellent balance.

The Chardonnay collection at Vasse Felix features the HEYTESBURY, the Premier and Filius Chardonnays, all crafted in the same house style and differentiated only by site selection. New single plot expressions are being explored.