2023 Place of Changing Winds Larderdark Chardonnay

96 pts
EXTREMELY LIMITED! A tightly coiled, low-yield Chardonnay with serious drive and detail - small production, big statement.

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Sale price$155.00
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Description

This is the most intense Chardonnay to date from Place of Changing Winds - a wine shaped by microscopic yields (just 144g per vine) and a fiercely hands-off approach. The fruit comes from close-planted, organically farmed vines in the Macedon Ranges, and everything about its making leans into purity and precision.

Fermented with full solids and aged mostly in glass Wineglobes (plus a single new Stockinger barrique), the 2023 went through full malolactic and was bottled unfiltered. The result is a Chardonnay that’s both concentrated and sharply detailed - taut citrus, crushed nuts, a briny edge, and no excess weight.

The oak is subtle, the texture is fine, and the length is serious. It’s less overt than the 2022 - more chalk and mineral, less richness - but just as compelling. Only 974 bottles made, and every one speaks clearly of place and purpose.

96+ points - "Everything about this wine oozes restraint and composure. The 2023 Larderdark Chardonnay leads with chalk and florals, citrus pith and musk sticks, crushed nuts and brine. On the palate, the wine is long and enveloping, with no hard edges or angles, and the length is a remarkable thing in and of itself. Pastry, baking spice and dried green herbs emerge. It is quite different in character to the 2022 wine, and personally, I prefer the character of this iteration. However, they are both exceptional wines. It comes from low-yielding vines (144 grams per vine, which is 12 hectoliters per hectare), went through full malolactic and matured in three Wineglobes and one new Stockinger barrique. The oak is apparent but not intrusive, and the sapid core of lime flavor is like bursting a finger lime parcel on the tongue: pure and stinging. This is a beautiful wine here. 974 bottles filled. 12.9% alcohol, sealed under screw Diam and wax." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

93 points - "Very low yields to bring this wine to life. Matured in wine globes (glass) and a Stockinger barrel. The site of course maturing and growing into its personality. This is a very intense and concentrated wine, rich and unctuous, soft and supple. There’s bold flavour up front, nectarine, red apple, and then a wash of honey-yoghurt, truffle butter and some gentle popcorn notes and touches of brine and a general sense of minerality. The plump flavours and swish of flavour move well up front, the finish a little diffuse and breezy, but has a bit of persistence, in a gentle way. A sense of opulence and yet a sense of washiness to the wine too. Curious. Pleasing drinking, you a good hit of the variety, it just doesn’t prosecute its case in full, despite being full." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

This deep, powerful Chardonnay is the finest we’ve produced. To appreciate the intensity of the wine, it’s worth mentioning that the yields were a tiny 144g/vine, which equates to only 12 hectolitre per hectare! To give some context, Australian Chardonnay is almost always cropped in kilos per vine and the maximum yield for grand cru Burgundy is at least 40hl/ha. So, it’s no surprise that this is a wine of huge drive and length.

Expect loads of ruby grapefruit and quince, some creamy lees and, as the wine is given air, an exotic note comes through, as well as a salinity to the finish that we find typical of our place. The wine was made very simply, pressed and sent to barrel and Wineglobe (glass fermenter) with all of its lees, for both primary and full malolactic fermentation. Three quarters of the wine was fermented and aged in glass vessels and there was also one new 228-litre Stockinger barrique. The wine was bottled at the end of September 2024.

Alcohol: 12.9%. Closure: Diam. Only 974 bottles produced.

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Australia
Region Macedon Ranges
Australian State VIC
Reviewed By The Wine Front
The Wine Advocate
Critic Score 96
93
Alcohol 13%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure DIAM Cork

Place of Changing Winds

The Place of Changing Winds vineyard was planted by notable Australian wine importer, journalist, and author, Rob Walters.

Rob had hunted for a special site to plant in the cooler climes of Australia for many years. One day, esteemed grower/winemaker at Bindi, Michael Dhillon, called him and said, "Rob, I've found your vineyard."

The site sits at 500m above sea level in the Macedon Ranges. Rob has farmed it organically from the start. Planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at an incredible average of 15,000 vines per hectare, this is one of the most exciting emerging viticultural projects in the country.

New to the Place of Change of Winds range are wines from Heathcote high country, organically planted in collaboration with Rhone legend Alain Graillot. These delicious Syrahs, and a Marsanne for the first time from the 2019 vintage, were previously under the Graillot Australia label but are now fully vinified at Place of Changing Winds in Macedon.

Rob Walters at Place of Changing Winds Place of Changing Winds

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