Voyager Estate MJW Chardonnay 2020

The Voyager Estate MJW Chardonnay is made from their best organic vineyards and is a blend of the Dijon 96 and Gingin clones, where each is treated differently, with the first undergoing malolactic fermentation and the latter not. This smart, technical winemaking has paid off as Larkin proclaims simply that 'This. Is. Excellent'. The nose is 'beautifully expressive' already but shows 'poise personified' with its understated but detailed fruit notes. The palate shows the 'plump complexity' that the malo allows while being surrounded by the 'latent power' provided by the Gingin clone. The finish is 'sophisticated, restrained and extremely long'.

Voyager Estate’s top-of-the-range wines are named MJW, as a tribute to the founder. A near perfect growing season, aside from a small storm in late October which brought some wind and hail. Spring was warm and dry, followed by a very hot December. Milder conditions through January ripened the grapes nicely, and saw the team commencing harvest in early February. The Chardonnay was picked first, with the fruit displaying pristine freshness, fruit concentration and bright varietal expression.