Margaret River is recognized as a more modern style of Chardonnay, focusing on varietal fruit characters while permitting oak and fermentation complexity to support, not overwhelm. Heytesbury represents the best Margaret River Chardonnay Vasse Felix can produce each year, a regional flagship assembled from a barrel cull of the most spectacular parcels, representing the finest of vintage, articulating the complexities achieved through natural ferments, increased solids exposure and quality French oak.
Half the grapes are hand picked and whole bunch pressed, the balance picked in the cool of night, preserving vibrant fruit character. Parcels are pressed off and the free run juices separated before settling overnight, racked to an extravagant selection of mostly new French oak barriques with varying levels of solids, achieving intense barrel ferment characters and palate weight. All batches are fermented wild without any added yeasts or malolactic to retain splendid natural acidity, stirred throughout nine months maturation, allowing the lees to impart further complexity to the texture and palate weight. The best barrels are identified and assembled into the final wine.
Lovely bright straw with subtle green hue. Vibrant aromas of spiced pear, apples and orange blossom combine with a hint of toasted vanilla bean. The palate is fresh and tight, with restrained fruit weight complimenting the structure and texture of the elegant French oak tannins, followed by minerality and flint. Delicate oak spice sits beautifully, a seamless mineral acidity contributes to a long, crisp, yet silky finish, satisfying and clean.
