Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2020
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Bright pale straw with a slight golden hue. A beguiling perfume of elevated wattle honey, smoking wax, grilled white nectarine, white rose and ginger is rounded out by complex aromas of wet ocean limestone, lemon grass, Geraldton wax flowers and yeasty flat bread. Quite restrained in its youth, with more complexities to be unveiled over time. 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 savory beeswax.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is a brilliant wine that I "tend" to prefer in warmer vintages. The increased phenolic texture of the warmer years suits the funky, complex and textural style of the wine and delivers a distinctly balanced drinking experience early on in its life. So, to the 2020 Heytesbury Chardonnay: there are notes of fresh curry leaf, preserved lemon, wild beach air, white shiso, enoki, Granny Smith apples, grilled peach and pink grapefruit. In the mouth, the wine shows polish and poise amid the tannic framework, and the juicy acidity that pulses in the background imbues the wine with life and beat. Brilliant, as usual.
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Wine Enthusiast
This vintage—more restrained than previous ones—offers notes of white peach fuzz, toasty vanilla oak, beeswax, ginger spice and a wet stone nuance. The nut and oak spice is more prominent on the palate, but a crystalline acidity and a long citrus and stone fruit finish beautifully balances the oak influence. Restrained and elegant with freshness and length, this should cellar well into the 2040s.
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James Suckling
I like the crushed oyster shell notes here with white grapefruits, peaches, pineapples, mango stones, wild thyme and hints of nutmeg. Wonderful complexity and interplay of fleshy tropical and citrus fruit on the palate with a bright, saline minerality. Plenty of texture with an openness and juicy finish. Just right now.
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Decanter
A complex wine with struck match notes on the nose, elegant pineapple, peach, citrus and green fruit flavours and some finely judged oak. There are saline and mineral elements in this stylish and elegant wine.
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Wine & Spirits
Virginia Willcock selects parcels of Gingin-clone chardonnay, blending a wine of earthy tension and heady richness. It’s tight and youthful, buoyed by oak but not encumbered by it. Mellow peach and pear flavors give the impression of sweetness that comes from perfectly ripe fruit, even as the wine feels savory; a tribute to coastal freshness. It offers gentle satisfaction now, and a view to its long life ahead.
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Wine Spectator
Shows flavors of pear, salted butter and mouthwatering yuzu, pomelo and Honey crisp apple, which are precise, elegant, vibrant and intense, especially on the long, expressive finish. Drink now
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Established in 1967 by regional pioneer Dr Tom Cullity, Vasse Felix is Margaret River's founding wine estate. Pristine isolation, ancient lands and twin oceans make Margaret River a wine paradise and one of the world’s greatest environments to grow ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. These varieties, alongside Shiraz and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends are the primary focus at Vasse Felix. All wines are grown in Vasse Felix’s four Margaret River vineyards then vinified and bottled within the modern winery, situated at the Home Vineyard overlooking the Wilyabrup Brook. The Vasse Felix Cellar Door - also located at the Home Vineyard - is renowned. Featuring a tasting room, wine lounge, art gallery, wine museum and one of Australia's most acclaimed restaurants, visitors are welcomed from all around the world, eager for the ultimate Vasse Felix experience.
There are many things that make Vasse Felix the special place it is: the incredible environment and climate of Margaret River, their secure family ownership, their treasured heritage, and their priceless vineyards. But above all, it's the dedication of the entire team to continue Dr Cullity's original aim for Vasse Felix: "to make the best possible wine".
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Home to some of Australia’s most elegant and long-lived red and white wines, Margaret River is situated in the farthest reaches of Western Australia. Relatively warm and dry, the region is cooled by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Margaret River takes some inspiration from Bordeaux, producing top-quality Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux Blends with firm structure, mouthwatering acidity, balanced alcohol and notes of herbs and spice. For white wines, refreshing blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon as well as complex, age-worthy Chardonnays are regional specialties.