2024 Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay
2024 Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay

2024 Shaw + Smith Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay

97 pts
Shaw + Smith |Adelaide Hills |Chardonnay
Shaw + Smith’s flagship Chardonnay from the high-altitude Lenswood site – a coiled, flinty, and incredibly precise expression of the Adelaide Hills.
Price:
$95.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
Rendering loop-subscriptions

Description

Shaw + Smith’s Lenswood site is essentially the crown jewel of their white wine program. Sitting at 500 metres above sea level, it’s a high-wire act that always delivers a more coiled, nervous energy than the broader M3.

The season was a bit of a battle with low yields, but that’s translated into incredible concentration. You'll find plenty of flint and white peach, backed by a saline, tonic-water edge that keeps things moving. It isn't just about fruit; there’s a savoury ginger-snap character and just enough oak to give it some weight without losing that signature crunch.

This is Chardonnay at its most sophisticated, built for the long haul. A serious step up and easily one of the best whites coming out of the Hills this year.

97 points
"Savoury, serious, vivid and refreshing in the same breath. A tour de force of chardonnay. Brilliant."
- Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points
"It tastes of juicy pear, white peach, mineral, cream, tonic water and smoked cedar, though every nuance comes stitched as one. The length on this beauty. The exquisite composure."
- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

97 points - "A magic moment kind of wine. Scintillating acidity, a gentle, savoury underbelly, crisp stone fruit and green apple characters, a distinct weave of saline minerality with touches of fino sherry and preserved lemon freshness. Add in nougat and ginger snap biscuit, but all of that with an immense sense of fruit purity, too. Savoury, serious, vivid and refreshing in the same breath. A tour de force of chardonnay. Brilliant." -
Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points - "This is as fine as they come. It’s a simply fabulous chardonnay. It blends flavour with sophistication with finesse with flair. It tastes of juicy pear, white peach, mineral, cream, tonic water and smoked cedar, though every nuance comes stitched as one. The length on this beauty. The exquisite composure. If you’re a lover of chardonnay this wine is enough to make you want to renew your vows to this most beautiful of grape varieties." -
Campbell Mattinson

Style
Lifted florals and a fine flinty edge sit alongside subtle dried and woody spices. The palate unfurls, revealing layers of citrus and stone fruit with balanced acidity and complex structure. Intensity is matched by restraint, with gentle extract carrying through to a long finish.

Season
Cool and wet conditions during flowering interrupted berry set, resulting in smaller, lighter bunches. The remainder of the season was mostly mild and dry, with a few well-timed rain events supporting vine growth and health. The result was low yields, high acidity and great flavour.

Vineyard
From low-yielding vines at our estate vineyard in Lenswood. First planted in 1999, it has east and west facing aspects and reaches 500 metres above sea level.

Vinification
Hand-picked and hand sorted, gently whole bunch pressed, then fermented in 500 litre puncheons, 30% new. Full malo, and 10 months in oak before resting in tank prior to bottle.

Cellar
Will reward careful cellaring for up to 20 years.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Australia
Region Adelaide Hills
Australian State SA
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 97
Alcohol 12.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Shaw + Smith

Shaw + Smith is one of the flagbearers of the Adelaide Hills wine region.

Founded by cousins Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw, together over 30+ years they have built a brilliant brand based around refined but energetic cool climate expressions of Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The wines all now comfortably rank amongst the best examples of their respective varieties in the country. The constant pursuit of excellence has seen Shaw + Smith stand out from the pack.

With the formidable talents of winemaker Adam Wadewitz at the helm, this iconic producer has never been in better form.

Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw - Adelaide Hills, SA Shaw + Smith

Others also liked

Recently viewed

Common Questions

Delivery is free on orders of $150 or more.

For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.

We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.

Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.

No sorry we do not have a store front and pickup is not available.

Yes, no problem. When placing your order select ‘Store at Different Drop and Delivery Later’ as your shipping method or reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order with additional instructions.

We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.

To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you. 

If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.

 

Our warehouse is automated so unless you tell us otherwise, we will ship your order. If you would like us to hold your order please reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order and we are happy to store your order for up to 6 months at no charge. You can review our heat policy here.

Yes, of course. We want Different Drop customers to always be getting the best price. You can see our price match policy here.

No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.

No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.

If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.

Need a hand?

We’d love to help you out! Most questions can be sorted quickly through our Help Centre or by dropping us a line on chat or email. If it’s something urgent or you just really want to have a yarn about wine, food, or even the meaning of life, give us a call — we’re here for you.

Regular Enquiries

hello@differentdrop.com

Urgent Enquiries

02 8376 8775