Byrne Farm Chardonnay 2023

Byrne Farm Chardonnay is a certified organic Chardonnay from high-altitude vines on the slopes of Mount Canobolas.

Another cool year, though picking returned to a mid-March window after the early April harvest that preceded it. Fruit comes off three plots in the Balmoral block at Nashdale, planted in volcanic chocolate ferrosol at 880 metres on a northeast-facing slope, the vines approaching thirty years and among the oldest in Orange. Pressing was done as whole bunches to 500-litre French puncheons with 30 per cent new tight-grained Mâconnais wood, which Jeff Byrne finds lifts and focuses fruit without stamping flavour on it. Ten per cent of the wine went through malolactic conversion for texture, then ten months in barrel with regular stirring.

Fruit purity registers first, then the mineral acidity that defines good Orange Chardonnay — grapefruit, white peach, a hint of toast. Serve at 12 degrees with steamed blue-eye, roast chicken, or a plate of raw kingfish.

*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.