97 points - "This is complex, fabulous and a delight to drink. Yes, I did drink this as it was irresistible. Blame it on the flavours, the palate, the verve of this wine: lemon and lime oil, grapefruit, and a touch of mandarin peel, nutty lees and a mineral-acid thread teasing this to an outrageously long finish. Simply stunning." - Jane Faulkner (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points - "Crystalline bright lemon hue. White peach, bacon fat and nougat aromatics. Palate has density and power but sits fresh, lively and lifted. Fruit has white peach purity, smoky bacon and nuts bring savoury contrast and saline minerality offers tension and accentuates the vigour and drive of the acidity. An outstanding chardonnay that offers power and freshness, with a prodigious length and a twisting tension that carries from entry to end." - Stuart Knox (The Real Review)

96 points - "Citrus blossom, lemon, grapefruit, citrus peel and spice aromas. Energy to burn and grip on the palate tied to brisk acidity. Citrus flavours to the fore area delight. Combines texture and mealy, nutty warmth with a background oak spiciness – top, all round chardonnay drinking and, if you wish, cellaring." - Jeni Port (Wine Pilot)

95+ points - "A little struck match, lime and grapefruit, plenty of flinty and chalky grip, mint and nuts, with a tangy and lively finish of excellent length. Lots of energy here, pickled lime and zesty things, with juicy pulpy citrus flavours. A very strong release." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

95 points & Top 100 Australian Wines of 2024 - "Mineral and citrus-driven, showing incredibly complex aromas of grapefruit rind, gunsmoke and talcum powder. The medium-bodied palate has a piercing acidity carried by a generous mouthfeel, giving notes of preserved lemons, lime curd and sea salt. Incredibly linear and tightly wound with an underlying power. Drink or hold. Screw cap." - James Suckling

TASTING PROFILE

This single-block wine is sourced from 0.7 ha of 24-year-old, gently sloping Chardonnay vines within the 2.76 ha Farrago block. The mottled clay soil here contains a high percentage of ironstone pebbles, similar to the Ferrous vineyard. This siliceous influence gives the wine its signature linearity and minerality. The fruit was gently whole-bunch pressed directly into French oak barriques (20% new), with fermentation starting spontaneously using ambient yeasts. After fermentation, the wine aged on lees (without battonage) for 11 months and was racked only once, right before bottling. It was bottled without fining and underwent minimal filtration.

The 2022 Farrago is intensely aromatic and complex, with notes of grapefruit skin, citrus blossom, and white stone fruit. Flecks of gun flint, biscuit dough, and yogurt cream add depth, framed by subtle oak spice. The palate is expansive, featuring grapefruit citrus and blood orange pith alongside a mineral-edged acid line. Fine phenolics provide structure, while a creamy mid-palate sweetness adds texture. The finish is pure, long, and mouth-watering. Though excellent now, this wine will also benefit from time in the cellar.


THE VINTAGE

The cold, windy winter of 2021 saw around 185 mm of rainfall from June to August, slightly below average. Windy conditions continued through spring, accompanied by approximately 310 mm of rainfall, well above the norm. This ensured soil replenishment heading into summer. Cold soils and wind affected flowering in early November, reducing yields in the earlier-ripening vineyards. However, later-flowering vineyards benefited from more favourable weather in late November.

Summer conditions were ideal, with mild to warm days occasionally broken by about 75 mm of rainfall in January, providing adequate water through veraison in mid to late January. February's steady, mild weather led to a slow, even ripening process. Harvest began in early March and progressed smoothly. While yields were significantly lower than average, the fruit quality was exceptional, with intense flavour concentration and refined acidity.


THE VINEYARD

The Kooyong vineyard is situated on the Mornington Peninsula in Tuerong, with Miocene sedimentary soils. Our wines are made from estate-grown, handpicked grapes, aiming to embody the terroir: the blend of geology, soils, regional macroclimate, vineyard mesoclimates, and the specific weather patterns of each growing season. Our practices in both the vineyard and winery are designed to express these unique characteristics diligently, respectfully, and without artifice.