Headed up by fourth-generation family member Bruce Tyrrell, Tyrrell’s is home to some of Australia’s most awarded wines including the iconic Vat 1 Semillon. Since 1971, Tyrrell’s has been awarded over 5,000 trophies and medals and in 2010 was named “Winery of the Year” in James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion.

Vat 47 Chardonnay comes entirely from their Short Flat vineyard, where the original Chardonnay vines were planted by Murray Tyrrell in 1968. Each block on the Short Flat is made separately and blended before bottling. Chardonnay was the star varietal from the 2019 vintage. Continued dry conditions meant cropping levels were slightly lower than normal however all of the fruit was in perfect condition. This year saw a return to picking later in January, with the majority of the Short Flat being picked in the last few days of January – two weeks later than in 2018. All of the fruit was handpicked before immediately being basket-pressed. The juice was then cold-settled for two days before being racked into another stainless-steel tank to begin fermentation. The fermenting juice was then transferred to French oak barriques to complete fermentation and maturation before bottling in October.

This year’s Vat 47 exhibits a complex nose of white stone fruit, grapefruit, and delicate flowers, with only a hint of high-quality French oak in the background. The palate is medium-bodied and shows sweet Chardonnay fruit balanced by textural elements, derived from the solids ferment and extended time on yeast lees.

This bottle is the standard 750ml. If you are looking for the Magnum 1.5L bottle, you can find it here.