Description

This is my first experience with Bremley Chardonnay and the winery overall. I found this Chardonnay highly engaging. Bold and powerful peach and melon fruit, with a hint of vanilla and toast. The palate is satisfyingly rich in the mouth while being refreshingly taut of lemony acid. Bremley Chardonnay will certainly improve with more time in the bottle, but there is nothing wrong with enjoying it right now too.

The Bremley vineyard was first planted in the early 2000s, it contained 2ha of Chardonnay. It is the Northernmost vineyard in the Coal River Valley and sits in an amphitheatre which protects the grapes from summer winds. Current owners have added Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Gamay to make the vineyard a total of 13ha. They also added Justin Bubb (Babo, Bubb and Pooley) and Anna Pooley (Pooley Wines) to the winemaking team. The ethos is hands-on in the vineyard and hands-off in the vineyard. Allowing the use of multiple techniques to craft the best wines possible. The proof of concept came when Bremley won the 2024 Australian Pinot Noir Challenge.

Bremley Chardonnay Coal River Valley 2024 Winery Notes

“The fruit was 100% whole-bunch pressed and inoculated with selected yeast. After settling for 24 hours, the juice was racked to François Frères puncheons, 25% of which were new oak, for fermentation. Primary fermentation lasted 25 days, followed by full malolactic fermentation. The wine underwent eight months of élevage in oak without any lees stirring. Gently filtered, then bottled un-fined and vegan friendly.
12.5 % Alc/Vol; 3.29 pH; 7.8 g/L TA.”

Tasmania

The beautiful island south of the Australian mainland that has carved out a reputation for quality sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. Tasmania’s cooler climate regions and extended growing season make it perfect for aromatic styles of wine. A wealth of quality focussed producers has helped lift the status of the whole island. Interestingly, despite notable differences, there is only the one GI in Tassie.

Chardonnay

The grape that you can plant anywhere, in any climate and do anything to, and it will still taste like an OK wine. When people hit the sweet spot of site, climate, cropping and winemaking, Chardonnay becomes a magical wine that will age gracefully but charm you at any age. Chardonnays can range from cool-climate lean and citrusy to warmer climate tropical and overt. Oak and lees can add flavouring, as can malolactic fermentation.