Byrne Farm Chardonnay 2022

Byrne Farm Chardonnay is an organically grown Chardonnay from thirty-year-old Orange vines in a cold vintage.

Like the year before it, 2022 ran cold, with picking roughly four weeks behind the district norm and fruit coming in during early April. The site is three plots of the Balmoral block at Nashdale, 880 metres up the northeast face of Mount Canobolas in volcanic chocolate ferrosol, the vines nearing thirty years. Bunches were pressed whole to 500-litre French puncheons, 30 per cent new — tight-grained Mâconnais barrels Jeff Byrne uses to focus fruit without layering flavour over it. Only ten per cent went through malolactic conversion, which he likens to hanging clothes on a line. Ten months in oak with regular stirring followed.

Fleshy citrus, chalky mineral, a little toast and a lovely struck-match reduction. Poised in weight, cooled by fine acidity, and long on a grapefruit-tinged close. Pour at 12 degrees with grilled prawns, chicken schnitzel, or leek and gruyère tart.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.