2024 TarraWarra Estate Swallowfield Vineyard Chardonnay

97 pts
Excellent single site Chardonnay from a cooler pocket of the Yarra Valley.

Price:
Sale price$75.00
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In stock, ready to ship
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Description

While the standard TarraWarra Estate label is a great value staple, the Swallowfield Vineyard release is a different beast entirely. It comes from Gembrook, one of the most southerly and coolest corners of the Yarra Valley. What makes this site a standout is the decomposed granite soil - a rarity in a region dominated by grey loam and red volcanic earth - which gives the wine a distinct, rocky edge we don't often see from the Yarra.

The 2024 vintage benefited from a long, cool spring that preserved a cracking line of acidity. Just 15% new oak, allowing that unique site expression to do the talking. It’s all about tension and clarity, leading with intense aromatics of grilled nuts, sea spray, and a subtle hint of gun smoke.

On the palate, it’s concentrated and deep. You get a savoury core of roasted hazelnut and almond praline, but it’s anchored by a fine thread of saline minerality and crushed-chalk grip. This is a smart, focused Chardonnay that offers a serious step up in complexity from the Estate release.

97 points - "From a 30-plus-year-old vineyard in Gembrook that TarraWarra now leases and has started major renovations on, Sarah Fagan has crafted a superb first-up wine. No mlf and matured in 15% new puncheons. A very bright green gold. You'll find aromas of subtle marine scents, nectarine and pink grapefruit. It's just as good, too, on the chalky-textured, elegant, fine-boned and tension-packed palate. A gorgeous wine that will slowly unfurl over the next five to seven years at least." - Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "This has form. It’s succulent and a touch supple, a mix of crunch and softness, if you can believe, with pure stone fruits, exotic spice, saline minerality and vanilla cream all meshed together superbly. There’s a breadth to texture but we don’t worry for the crisp edges and cool core of the wine. It feels expressive, refreshing and interesting as highlight comments. Very good." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

About
Lovely intense aromatics based around grilled nuts, saline notes and a background sea spray lift. Undercurrent of gun smoke leads to added layers of complexity, edge and tension.

Intense concentration and depth, anchored by a savoury core of roasted hazelnut and almond praline. A fine thread of saline minerality drives purity and precision across the palate, lending both tension and clarity. Subtle nuances of wet stone and crushed chalk emerge through the mid-palate, adding a textural complexity that lingers long into the finish.

The fruit was hand harvested and cooled overnight before whole bunch pressing the following morning. The juice was settled briefly before filling off to oak for fermentation. Upon the ferment being completed, the wine was sulphured and left on lees for maturation. The wine was blended in October, before bottling in December 2024.
OVERVIEW
An incredible vineyard, defined by the decomposed granite base, which is seldomly seen in the region. First planted in 1990, then extended in 2000 with 12 hectares now under vine, planted entirely to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Swallowfield is one of the most Southerly vineyards in the Yarra Valley.
VINEYARD
Swallowfield Vineyard, Gembrook.
VARIETY
Chardonnay
CLONE/S
Bernard 76 and 96, planted in 2000.
SEASON NOTES
A vintage defined by both a cool and wet Spring and into early Summer. Warmer and dryer conditions were then experienced from mid-January onwards and has resulted in wines with great acidity, balance and flavour.
ALC/VOL
13.0%
HARVEST DATE
Hand harvested on the 13th of March, 2024.
WINEMAKING
The fruit was hand harvested and cooled overnight before whole bunch pressing the following morning. The juice was settled briefly before filling off to oak for fermentation. Upon the ferment being completed, the wine was sulphured and left on lees for maturation. The wine was blended in October, before bottling in December 2024.
OAK
Fermentation and maturation in 100% French oak
Puncheons & Barriques for 7 months. 15% new oak.
& tarragon aioli.
CELLARING
Will drink well now and will continue to develop further complexity over the next 5-10 years.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Australia
Region Yarra Valley
Australian State VIC
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
Critic Score 97
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

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