2023 Rivulet Glaziers Bay Chardonnay
2023 Rivulet Glaziers Bay Chardonnay

2024 Rivulet Glaziers Bay Chardonnay

96 pts
Rivulet |Huon Valley |Chardonnay
A finely detailed, wild-fermented Chardonnay from Tasmania’s deep south, grown on old vines and built with precision, texture and length.
Price:
$55.00
Stock:
Sold out
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Description

Grown at the edge of what’s even possible for Chardonnay in Tasmania, this is Keira O’Brien working with old vines and deep patience. The fruit comes from Elsewhere - a dry-grown vineyard planted in 1982, perched above the Huon River on black clay soils, and quietly producing some of the best Chardonnay in the state.

It’s P58 clone, hand-picked, whole bunch pressed, wild fermented in barrel (30% new), full malo, 10 months on lees. Everything handled gently, nothing rushed. The wine itself is tight and composed, but not shy - white peach, lemon pith, toasted almonds and a flicker of struck match. There’s a savoury edge too, all wrapped in line and length.

Only 145 dozen made, and it feels very much 'hand-crafted'. A wonderful Tasmanian Chardonnay from an impressive emerging producer.

96 points
"This wine is gold for Australia. It’s a humdinger, hands down, it’s beautiful."
- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Dave Brookes

Dave Brookes

Halliday Wine Companion 96 Points

Keira O'Brien is doing great things with her wee Rivulet project. Exhibit A: this cracking chardonnay, a Penfolds clone from the Elsewhere vineyard between Huonville and Cygnet. The tension and focus of Tasmanian chardonnay is captured in high resolution here. Ripe peach, citrus and grapefruit tones meld with fine spice, cut fennel, wildflowers, crème fraîche, crushed shells, nicely judged vanillin oak and sea breezes. It's all stretched tautly on a mineral frame, is composed and graceful. The flavours stretch out nicely on the finish, with lemon curd and soft spice fanning out on the exit. Super drinking.

VINEYARD
Grown on the Huon Valley’s oldest and most revered vineyards, Elsewhere. Dry grown, 100% P58 (Penfolds) clone chardonnay from 27 year old vines. Established in 1982, Elsewhere Vineyard is in the deep south of Tasmania, between Huonville and Cygnet, and at the edge of viticultural possibility. The vineyard is cradled by rolling green hills, gently sloping down toward the mirror still Huon River. Elsewhere has been restored to its former glory and tended with meticulous attention to detail by Owen and Eve Knight. Grown on unirrigated, deep black cracking clays.

VINTAGE
The 2024 vintage saw the return of warm and dry conditions after three cool, La Nina influenced seasons. The winter proceeding the growing season set the scene with mild, above average temperatures throughout and lower than average rainfall. Spring and summer continued this warmer temperature pattern and low rainfall. The extra warmth of the season produced even ripening, resulting in balanced acidity and resolved tannins along with outstanding depth of flavour.

WINEMAKING
Penfolds clone Chardonnay is typical of Tasmania’s older vineyards and can produce wonderfully expressive wines with an energetic spine of natural acidity. Hand harvested fruit was chilled overnight then whole bunch pressed and oxidatively handled with no additions made. Following cold settling, juice was racked to barriques and hogsheads for wild fermentation, with 30% new oak. Full malolactic fermentation was undertaken to soften the natural acidity produced by this cool site. Wine was left to rest on its yeast lees for 10 months before clarification and bottling.

Total production: 145 dozen

Drink: Now to 2040

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Australia
Region Huon Valley
Australian State TAS
Feature Women in Wine
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 96
Alcohol 13%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Rivulet

Rivulet Wines is the brand of winemaker Keira O'Brien, who decided to create her own label after having worked for other Tasmanian wineries. Her desire is to work with special parcels of fruit and have a "playful" attitude towards the winemaking, only releasing very small quantities of wine in the process; which is fitting as "rivulet" means a small stream of water".

O'Brien likes to make wines "with texture, precision and purity in mind", and she crafts them from well-known varieties such as Pinot Noir and Riesling, as well as rarer ones such as Sylvaner and Siegerrebe.

Winemaker Keira O'Brien Discover Rivulet

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