SEASON:

2023 was a small, high-quality vintage in the Yarra Valley. The season was defined by a cool Spring, a mild growing season, cool nights, and medium to high rainfall.
2023 was one of the coolest and latest harvests on record, with our first pick starting two and a half weeks later than the previous average. The grapes in 2023 had lovely fruit concentration with bright natural acidities.


VINIFICATION:

100% handpicked and whole bunch pressed.
The juice was then transferred directly to barrel by gravity with no settling, taking full lees.
Fermented in 500L French oak puncheons. 20% malolactic fermentation. Matured for 9 months in new and used French oak – 10% new, 90% seasoned, Mercurey, Taransaud and Dargaud & Jaeglé.


THE VINEYARD:

Location: Tarrawarra

Planted: 1988

Elevation: 100 metres

Soil Type: Grey clay loam

Aspect: North, south and east facing slopes

Size: 8.5 Hectares

Located in a protected valley, Tarraford Vineyard has a discreet microclimate that is cooler than neighbouring sites. Although located in a warmer subregion of the Yarra Valley, the
Chardonnay at Tarraford is planted on the cooler slopes. One block, with
P58, 548 and 96 clones planted on a southerly facing and tucked into
the central vale of the vineyard. The other faces directly east, with lovely
eastern morning aspect, which we picked last. This vineyard produces
Chardonnay with lovely pithy fruit characters, savoury saline notes and a soft and textured mid palate, finished with line and length driven by natural acidity.

97 points - "Planted on a cool, south-facing slope in Tarrawarra. Whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented in seasoned French puncheons and one ceramic egg. A vibrant green gold. Immediately appealing with its aromas of stone fruits, yellow apple, some lemon confiture and a touch of brine. Chalky textured, slippery and with a certain openness but finely detailed and structured too. Grapefruit pithy on the long, beautifully balanced finish." - Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points - "Majority P58 clone. White grapefruit, winter melon and lemongrass. Blue stone, chalk and raw pancake batter. Lemon aspen and lilly pilly fruit. The wine has a coolness, not just in its refreshing quality but in its textural feel. Like a coconut milk based iced tea. Long lines of natural and unforced acidity, with power but no trace of heft. Raw cashew on the finish.The wine is shaped like an acute triangle with its tapering acidity funnelled down the palate. In the glass on the day, this is the wine that was drinking at its best now with plenty of precision and detail. Tarraford has its dedicated fans and this is one of the best yet. Drink now or cellar for 5 years or so and serve with pan seaweed King George whiting fillets." - Shanteh Wale (Wine Pilot)

96 points - "Tarraford is the lowest and theoretically the warmest of Giant Steps single vineyard sites, though altitude isn’t everything when it comes to temperature. I used to live across the road from a steep, hillside vineyard where it was noticeably warmer at the top than it was at the bottom, a phenomenon known as temperature inversion, I believe. I digress.

I looked at this over the course of 24 hours and over that time the wine’s grapefruit characters became more and more dominant. That’s a very good thing. It also tastes of custard apples, cedar-spice, pear and white peach, a pistachio ice-cream character in there too, but the drive of grapefruit here is the wave on which everything else surfs. Tip top release. Well fruited but then dry and pebbly to close." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

94 points - "A bright, sunny personality is underlined by bright golden colour and lively tropical notes atop a pithy citrus body. It’s an honest reflection of site – mostly clone P58 Chardonnay planted at 100m elevation along south- and east-facing slopes on grey clay loam – with the cool location providing lively acidity that ensures good intensity and drive." - David Sly (Decanter)