2015 Mornington Peninsula, Single Vineyard Chardonnay, Yabby Lake Vineyard
About Producer
Founded in 1998, Yabby Lake Vineyard is positioned on a north-facing slope that captures maximum daily sunshine and is refreshed by nightly cool sea breezes. Since 2008, the estate is conducting the ‘Single Block Release’ programme to explore the nuances of its vineyard and gain a deeper understanding of its character.
Varietals
Chardonnay
About Appellation
Surrounded on three sides by the sea and rippled with ridges and hills from volcanic activity during the Tertiary period between 20 and 40 million years ago, Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria’s key wine regions, located to the South of the Melbourne metropolis. Vines were first planted on the Peninsula in 1886 but in the 1920s, many of the vineyards were abandoned or uprooted. The renaissance of the region’s wine industry began in 1972 under the aegis of a group of aspiring vignerons who recognised the potential of the unique maritime climate of the Mornington Peninsula for producing high quality cool climate varieties. Relatively high summer humidity combined with abundant sunshine hours and plentiful rainfall during winter and spring create perfect conditions for the region’s signature varieties pinot noir and chardonnay.
Tasting Notes
Inviting nose of white stone fruits, citrus peel, nougat, wet stones, struck match and orange blossom, smooth mouthfeel with seamless texture, fine structure and excellent precision, multilayered flavours of white peach, nectarine, grapefruit, hints of beeswax and cashew nut, refreshing acidity and stony mineral notes carrying through a long, intense finish. This is a cracking wine that encapsulates to a tee the character of Mornington Peninsula cool climate chardonnay. It’s very enjoyable and utterly moreish, while displaying an enchanting choreography of understated elegance, zesty vivacity and subtle aromatic complexity. Though not having the depth of its ‘Single Block Release’ siblings, it’s a very well-crafted wine that is not that far removed from a good Chablis premier cru. I can think of Fourchaume or more so Vaucoupin, not least for the pithy, citrusy flavours and flinty undertones that reverberate across the palate to linger long throughout the aftertaste. (08/2024)