Light, bright yellow hue. Smoky oak and reductive notes add a patina to the bouquet which is more complex as a result. Grapefruit rocketing through on the palate, which is taut and refined, focused and long. Great precision here. Grapefruit comes up more and more on the nose (Gingin clone?), while the palate is impressively intense, refined, subtly concentrated and extremely long-lasting. A great chardonnay with a very bright future ahead of it. BC
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. RP
$ 680
Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2022
RP
97
JH
97
JS
94
If one wine typifies the current state of Australian chardonnay (complex, superfine, detailed and majestic) as much as a wine of place, Heytesbury could possibly be it. There’s a lot of fruit power this vintage, yet still, a tightly coiled style in youth. A millefeuille of flavour – grapefruit, lemon salt, white nectarine and complex savoury nuances, the oak and lees folded into the wine. There’s an intriguing zinc character too, a little flinty and funky with mouth-watering acidity. Moreish and compelling all the way through. Mesmerising. JH
$ 558
Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2023
RP
97₊
WS
94
JH
99
JS
97
2026 White Wine of the Year, Chardonnay of the Year. Score awarded by the Halliday tasting panel at the annual Awards judging. It’s still very tightly wound, yet it has depth and volume. Oscillating between power and refinement, intensity and pure drinking pleasure. Grapefruit, Meyer lemon, a crushed oyster shell note, flinty, moreish sulphides, texture, mouth-watering, pure acidity and so much more besides. Nothing else to say other than that this is outstanding. JH
$ 558
Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2020
RP
97
JS
97
A bright yet creamy entry is supported by a beautifully taut line of acidity and incredible palate structure. An enticing pop of samphire complements the mineral, saline core, leading to a long, rich and dry finish with lingering hints of savoury beeswax.