2024 The Wanderer Macclesfield Chardonnay

94 pts
A finely tuned Upper Yarra Chardonnay that’s all about texture, precision and quiet confidence.

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Sale price$40.00
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Description

The 2024 Macclesfield Chardonnay is a new addition to The Wanderer lineup and a pretty sharp debut at that. It comes off a north-facing vineyard in the Upper Yarra – red volcanic soil, clone 96 Chardonnay, about 250m up – and it’s got all the hallmarks of that cool, elevated end of the valley.

Whole bunch pressed and run straight to barrel the next day with full solids. Wild fermented, no stirring, no new oak, just left to take its time and find its groove. It’s a really calm, unfussed kind of Chardonnay – subtle fruit, some lemon peel and white stone, with a fine, mineral edge and good shape through the finish.

Feels like a wine that doesn’t try too hard, and that’s the charm. Nicely judged, quietly complex, and well worth getting to know.

94 points
"It tastes of chalk, lemon, nectarine, white peach, honey and grapefruit, with tonic-like characters mingling with oatmeal and flint through the finish."
- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

94 points - "If you took this chardonnay to a clairvoyant it would foretell loveliness in its future. It’s still coming together but specialness awaits. It tastes of chalk, lemon, nectarine, white peach, honey and grapefruit, with tonic-like characters mingling with oatmeal and flint through the finish. It has texture, it has flavour, it has interest and it has length." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Introducing a new single vineyard wine into The Wanderer Wines range in 2024.

From Macclesfield in the Upper Yarra Valley.

Cane pruned clone 96 Chardonnay on red volcanic soil with a Northerly aspect at 250m elevation. Whole bunch pressed then run into barrel with full solids the next day. Wild fermentation, left on lees without stirring until bottling. Fermentation and elevage in seasoned large format french oak.

Estate bottled.

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Australia
Region Yarra Valley
Australian State VIC
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Critic Score 94
Alcohol 12.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Cork

The Wanderer

The Wanderer is Andrew Marks’ personal venture, allowing him to step beyond his family’s Gembrook Hill vineyard to craft wines that reflect his deep winemaking experience. Raised at Gembrook Hill, one of the Yarra Valley’s pioneering vineyards, Andrew’s path was shaped by early exposure to viticulture and formal training at the University of Adelaide. His work at Penfolds, along with vintages in France and Spain, honed his ability to blend traditional techniques with a modern, thoughtful approach.

Under The Wanderer label, Andrew produces wines that express the unique character of each vineyard with minimal intervention. His delicate Pinot Noir, refined Chardonnay, and Rhone-inspired Syrah showcase finesse and precision, capturing the natural nuances of the fruit. These wines are all about subtlety and complexity, evolving naturally over time to reveal their layers.

Produced in small quantities, The Wanderer wines are highly sought after and known to sell out quickly. Each limited release reflects Andrew’s journey and his dedication to crafting wines that tell a story—of place, of vintage, and of his evolution as a winemaker. For those who appreciate elegance and nuance, The Wanderer offers something truly special, albeit fleeting.

Andrew Marks in the vineyard The Wanderer

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