Description

Started as a side project for then Best’s wine maker Adam Wadewitz. When he and his wife Nikki discovered the cool climate and limestone bedrock in Henty they knew this is what they wanted to do. Slowly range at Henty Farm has expanded with the quality staying incredibly high.

A finessed and elegant Chardonnay with a bit of age. The cool climate allows them to let the grapes slowly mature on the vine and retain the acidity that is key to great Chardonnay. Wonderful stone fruits sit on top of steely mineral acidity and just a hint of new oak. Everything here is in great proportion and balance. It makes for a lovely drinking experience, especially if you can let it sit in the glass and evolve over time. Given it is Christmas time this is the wine I’d pair with scallops or crayfish (if that is your thing). I’m not sure how much longer this evolve in the cellar. It is so fresh and pure now it could live forever. But I’ll definitely be drinking my bottle(s) over summer.

Henty

A large appellation in South Western Victoria that has produced some of Australia’s greatest Rieslings. Mixed results with Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Cabernet, Chardonnay and more have meant that it does not really rate on a lot of peoples wine radar.

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.