Shaw and Smith Lenswood Vineyard Archive Release Chardonnay 2017

LENSWOOD VINEYARD The Lenswood Vineyard, with its elevation of 455–500 meters above sea level, its higher rainfall (around 1200mm per year) and exposure to cool winds, is an ideal location for the single-site Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottlings. The soils are a mix of brown sandy loams over red clay, with crumbly shale intermixed throughout.

The heart of east-facing Blocks 3 and 4 is what defines the Lenswood Chardonnay bottling. These blocks feature old vine material, wider spaced rows, and spongy ground underfoot, which minimizes compaction and fosters microbial activity, promoting optimal plant health. The canopy is kept fairly open to allow cooling breezes to pass through while providing enough shade to protect the fruit. Murray takes great care in determining viable cropping levels. To optimize vine density, they employ layering techniques, burying a cane which forms a new vine, while still connected to the parent plant.

The south-facing Block 1, first planted in 1999, is the source of the single-site Pinot Noir, predominantly featuring the revered 114 clone. This clone is celebrated for its perfumed aromatics, meaty tannins, and strong structural foundation. The Shaw + Smith team never rests on their laurels and the Pinot Noir story is an ongoing tale of exploration and constant refinement.

The cool 2017 vintage stands out, across all three single vineyard wines, for their quirk and character, and sadly there is not enough to go around. They walk the line between genius and insane. It’s a game of pick your side, I guess. Yuzu curd, gardenia petals, grated turmeric, saffron and lemon pie. It’s then followed by the salinity and mineral salts your body is aching for, restoring vitality and life once again. Fruit is stonkingly youthful and belies its vintage date.