2023 Onannon Flinders ‘The Orchard’ Vineyard Chardonnay

• 30-year-old vineyard overlooking Western Port Bay
• MV6 and 115 Clone
• An extensive orchard and giant hedges protect it from prevailing winds forming a sun trap

Flinders is not a common sub-region of the Mornington Peninsula. Probably because cost per acre is around 300-400k. This sub region is very close to western port bay, which is a bay that opens up to Bass Stait.

The Orchard Vineyard has one acre of Chardonnay 10 Clone. It is a small 30-year-old vineyard overlooking western port bay. It is non-irrigated and an extensive orchard with giant hedges to protect it from prevailing winds and forming a sun trap. So this little sun pocket overlooking western port bay is always a surprise as to how quickly get ripens.

Pressed straight to barrel with full solids. 100% MLF. Left on gross lees and no sulphur until just prior to bottling in July 2024. No new oak. Two barrels produced.

The 2023 Chardonnay was showing all the right flavours very early in the season, based on this I picked it on these flavours, and was happy to ride the searing acid in the juice. I love malolactic fermentation in Chardonnay so after oxidising the juice (house style) and barrelling down straight from the press, I let the wine sit in barrel for what seemed an eternity. Around Christmas time I tasted the orchard barrels selected two I flew reflected the site and vintage the best. After which kept the selected barrels till July 2024 for bottling.

This Chardonnay shows notes of some lemon and cheese rind. There’s a touch of smoke and stone. A nice little coil of citrus weaves through, and a dusting of spice. I like the energy and interest of this wine. – Will Byron, Onannon