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Home > Our Wines

2016 Heytesbury Chardonnay

A selection of the most unique and striking vineyard sections, recognised for its innovative winemaking and distinguishing 'Heytesbury' character.

Tasting Notes

COLOUR Pale yellow straw. NOSE Exotic floral details, with white peach and grapefruit, interweaving struck match, nougat and a nutty/mealy, custard complexity. PALATE The palate is bursting with a luscious lemon freshness and stone fruit power that is sustained for incredible length. It builds in the mouth to reveal flavours of citrus tart and moreish sweet crust. The fine contribution of oak toast and acidity maintain a delicious, drying structure with a succulent core.

Winemaker Notes

WINEMAKER'S NOTES Our most unique small sections within our vineyards where clone, aspect and soil interplay in such a way that sets these parcels apart from the rest. Each batch was very gently pressed and the juice then transferred directly to barriques with the inclusion of all solids to achieve more of the unique vineyard character. Each batch was fermented wild with no yeast addition and was stirred throughout the nine months of maturation, allowing the yeast lees to impart further complexity, texture and palate weight to the wine. With bright, high acidity in 2016, natural malolactic fermentation was encouraged and completed.

Varietals:

Production Notes

100% Chardonnay

Alcohol:

Alcohol %

13

Cellaring Potential:

Aging

7 - 10 years

Harvested:

Harvest Date

February 2016

Oak:

Fermentation

100% French oak, 9 months (57% New, 43% 1-2 year old)

TA:

Acid

6.5g/L

pH:

pH

3.17

Residual Sugar:

Residual Sugar

1.0g/L

Bottled:

Bottling Date

February 2017

2016 Heytesbury Chardonnay

Reviews

Excellent - Langton's Classification VII

Langton's Classification VII

The glorious and expressive Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay is made up of individual sections of the Gin Gin clone. It evokes an exquisite balance between vineyards, emotional sensibility and technical brilliance. Batch vinification, bâttonage and maturation for nine months in around 60% (barely detectable) new and seasoned French oak results in a benchmark style with superb grapefruit and flinty aromatics, al dente textures and creamy complexity.
97 Points

2019 Halliday Wine Companion - James Halliday

A wine all about finesse and length - extreme length. The inexorable drive and logic of the bouquet and (in particular) the palate leaves little room for argument, but plenty for discussion. Pink grapefruit, pear, nectarine and a satin bow of oak are all as one. Screwcap. 13% alc. Rating 97. Drink to 2030.
98 Points

HuonHooke.com

This has a youthful, bright, light yellow colour with a bright, fresh, citrusy fruit and subtly smoky bouquet, while the palate is high-acid and tangy, very zesty and appealingly nervy, with marvellously refined fruit intensity. The palate is seamless and refined, with great line and delicacy, and prodigious length. A great wine - an Australian grand cru. Outstanding.
98 Points

The West Australian Wine Guide 2018

This is the pinnacle of Vasse Felix's chardonnay pyramid and it, yet again, is a mighty good wine. Notes of oatmeal and grapefruit with a white peach roasted cashew influence infused. The palate is so beautifully balanced with the oak and fruit integration perfect. Sits easily in the mouth then powers through to a long finish. Dry savoury notes complete the picture. Classy.
Superbly Shaped and Gentle

Gourmet Traveller Wine

Superbly shaped and gentle, this refined and polished chardonnay reveals scents of grape-fruit, lemon, creamy vanilla oak and yellow flowers lifted by spicy notes of cinnamon and coriander. Initially fluffy and forward, its vibrant core of white peach, citrus and nougat becomes more savoury down the palate, culminating in a crunchy, refreshing finish of minerals and oyster brine.
The Most Exciting Wines of 2018

Decanter Magazine

Oz Clarke: Gentle, mellow, nutty and round with a hint of struck match. Sarah Jane Evans: Beautifully controlled Chardonnay. The palate is ripe but carefully overlaid with fine oak, bright acidity. Gloriously long, juicy finish. Notes of lime and pineapple highlight. Tina Gellie: A serious, Burgundian-style Chardonnay with toasty, nutty oak that’s balanced by lemon acidity and breezy, ripe yellow apples. Long and complex; will age well. Recommended by Michael Hill Smith MW Drinking Window 2019 - 2023
91 Points

Wine Spectator Insider

White Lip-smacking, with juicy forwardness, offering tangerine, mango and citrus flavors and a tease of spice and toast lingering in the background. Shows plenty of grace and elegance. Drink now.
93 Points

Wine Advocate - Joe Czerwinski

The 2016 Heytesbury Chardonnay is a pristine, focused example of the variety as grown in Margaret River. It seems more crystalline and pure, less opulent and showy than previous vintages, although I must confess a bit of ambivalence about that. Pineapple and citrus dominate the nose with just subtle oak shadings (although it's typically 50% or more new). It's medium-bodied in the mouth with a soft, custard-like richness and a silky texture that fades slowly away on the lemon-tinged finish.
97 Points

JamesSuckling.com

A very complex flinty and hazelnut style that has a strong play of fine French oak on the nose. Plenty of layers to the aromas here from white peaches and nectarine fruits to grapefruit and lemons. Immense grapefruit and citrus depth on the palate with warm oak spices and well-layered savory threads. Long and effortless power. Drink now. Screw cap.
Superbly Shaped and Gentle

Gourmet Traveller Wine

Superbly shaped and gentle, this refined and polished chardonnay reveals scents of grape-fruit, lemon, creamy vanilla oak and yellow flowers lifted by spicy notes of cinnamon and coriander. Initially fluffy and forward, its vibrant core of white peach, citrus and nougat becomes more savoury down the palate, culminating in a crunchy, refreshing finish of minerals and oyster brine.
Multi-layered, powerful Chardonnay

The Wine Detective - Sarah Ahmed

What I can say is that I like this savoury, textural style with its struck match and sour dough notes very much.. it remains balanced, persistent, indeed long and powerful as it builds and gathers impetus in the mouth, suggesting the best is yet to come. Oak provides support, smoke and spice. This is a multi-layered, powerful Chardonnay, still unfurling.
97 Points

WBM - Tyson Stelzer

A seamless, effortless poise of the utmost balance that sets Heytesbury apart as one of the shining beacons of New World chardonnay. The finest wisp of struck flint reduction dances over a core of pristine white fruit which hovers, motionless, with Zen-like concentration for minutes on an electric finish.
95+ Points

Greg Sherwood MW

A wonderfully powerful, intense structured Chardonnay that incorporates all the great qualities of Chardonnay into one wine. Loaded with wet chalk, struck match, delineated texture and linearity, boasting incredible complexity of white citrus, lime marmalade, green apple, brioche and buttered brown toast. Amazing textural balance, sensorial intensity and a very long, mouth watering finish. Superbly impressive benchmark cool climate Chardonnay that will appeal to Burgundy lovers and general Chardonnay connoisseurs. (Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
17.5 points

JancisRobinson.com - Richard Hemming

Toffee and cream, then a contrastingly bitter fruit element that sets up quite a punchy acidic zip on the finish. Just enough dairy character to add complexity and richness without unbalancing the style.
Matthew Jukes 2018/19 100 Best Australian Wines

Matthew Jukes

Gosh Heytesbury looks ever so demure and buttoned up in 2016. This restraint and composure is impressive and it hints at a life ahead which will see a gradual unravelling of tension while the flavours build on the palate. Nail-biting stuff, this wine is the vinous equivalent of a Scandi-Noir thriller with cliff edge denouements every time you feel that you are starting to relax. I will be watching closely to see when the grand finale happens because it is sure to be a triumphant unveiling of class and complexity.
17.5

JancisRobinson.com - Julia Harding MW

Hand-harvested 30 Jan to 24 Feb 2016. Spontaneous fermentation in barrel with very high solids. Average 519 NTU. Nine months in French oak, 57% new, two months in tank after blending. TA 6.5 g/l, pH 3.17. Bottled February 2017. Much more toasty than the younger vintages and just a little bit honeyed but not at all oxidative. Starting to get a woody/cedary character on the palate, lime and lemon fruit really standing proud over the oak, deep and long and just a little creamy. Less distinctive than 2017 and 2018. (JH) 13%
17.5

JancisRobinson.com - Julia Harding MW

Hand-harvested 30 Jan to 24 Feb 2016. Spontaneous fermentation in barrel with very high solids. Average 519 NTU. Nine months in French oak, 57% new, two months in tank after blending. TA 6.5 g/l, pH 3.17. Bottled February 2017. Much more toasty than the younger vintages and just a little bit honeyed but not at all oxidative. Starting to get a woody/cedary character on the palate, lime and lemon fruit really standing proud over the oak, deep and long and just a little creamy. Less distinctive than 2017 and 2018. (JH) 13%

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