98 points - "On paper, the 2024 vintage hits a lot of firsts: it was the earliest on record (starting January 17) after the warmest and earliest spring in the winery’s history. In the glass, the vintage delivers one hell of a Chardonnay: rich, complex and yet finely balanced. It could balance on a pin such is the wine’s near perfect composition and keenly detailed acidity. At this very young stage of its evolution it brings forward deep, complex aromas honeyed and leesy rich with honeysuckle and citrus blossom, citrus and stone fruits with the odd hint of tropical fruit, alpine herbs and buttered biscuit. They gather on the palate, taut and powerful, crisp and utterly convincing. It’s early days but the excitement factor is already high. Flavours are enriched by saline notes, toasted nuts, lime peel and a sprinkling of ginger and herbs producing a wine evenly brisk paced and lightly creamy in texture. The stage is set for one exciting Heytesbury Chardonnay production." - Jeni Port (Wine Pilot)

98 points - "It stings the nostrils, slaps you into gear, and brings joy to the souls of Chardonnay lovers. What an incredible wine, from what was not your average vintage in Wadandi Country. Spiced lime sorbet, mandarin peel and a tangerine dream. In the mouth, the acid is pithy, driving through the centre with power and incisive focus. Everything is dialled up, yet detailed, with nothing outshining the other. The fruit is uber dense, showing fresh, preserved, salted and peak-season notes of grapefruit, candied mandarin and scraped vanilla bean, with a touch of curry leaf. From the earliest harvest on record, it may not live as long as other vintages, but it feels the most complete on release. Plenty of stuffing, palate-saturating tension, grip and drive, with salty acid layering the experience. Drink without food to start, make sure to have your most gossipy friend with you, then order another bottle and get incredibly indiscreet about things you probably shouldn’t." - Cyndal Petty (Wine Pilot)

97 points - "The Heytesbury DNA is loud and clear. It's driven by pristine fruit flavours – all grapefruit and lemon – powered by moreish, savoury, complex flavours of gunflint, match-strike sulphides, superbly integrated oak and mouth-watering acidity. It’s just one of the great chardonnays. Simple as that really." - Jane Faulkner (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points - "Complex and lifted aromas of grapefruit pith, oyster shell, struck match, melon skin, bacon fat, grilled nuts and white flowers, a super detailed chardonnay. Mouth-filling, layered and with real power, focus and poise. There's plenty of fruit and oak at play, but there's a drive of pithy acidity and some textured phenolics shaping it all up very nicely. Seriously good chardonnay." - Aaron Brasher (The Real Review)

97 points - "The balance of fruit and tension is fantastic, with aromas of lemon confit, oatmeal, white mushrooms, crushed stones, jasmine, green melon and citrus blossoms. The palate is mid-weighted with a tightly woven texture, fine-boned acidity and a lovely phenolic grip intertwining oak and fruit. It’s generous, yet retains all the tension and salinity typical of Margaret River. Don’t be misled by the fruit concentration. There’s still freshness and minerality throughout. Excellent. Drink or hold. Screw cap." - Ryan Montgomery (James Suckling)

96 points - "The winemaking is good. The wine growing is good. And the sites are outstanding. The season might challenge, but the quality doesn’t waver.

This is, without doubt, an outstanding release of Heytesbury Chardonnay. The intensity of fruit flavour is as exquisite as it is impressive; the texture itself has a presence to it; the flintiness sits within the fruit as much as it rises above it. It’s a parade of grapefruit, white peach, oatmeal and mineral-like flavour, with smoked hay and cedar-cream characters as modest and integrated assistants. Quality-wise, all over, it’s the bomb. The drama of the finish – and its persistence – is the ultimate confirmation." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

96 points - "This has one of those beautiful “ohhh” openings. Pretty and bright, with cinnamon, white flowers, fine cedar, almond meal and green apple sitting high-toned and pure. Things deepen with air as pithy white grapefruit asserts itself into the mix along with crushed rock minerality, sea spray and flickers of nutty nougat. Some cashew and lemon juice in there too — an arresting opening indeed. The palate has great concentration, bursting with white peach, cinnamon, white grapefruit, pear, sea spray, lemon juice and pith. There’s gorgeous flow and energy as it glides through the mouth inside a frame of saline acidity and chalky phenolic grip, with length for days thanks to waves of rolling acidity. Outstanding — Virginia Wilcock and the team have done it again." - Tom Kline (Wine Pilot)

A powerful vintage, weaving magnitude, poise, and layers of seductive umami overtones.

The 2024 HEYTESBURY Chardonnay makes a striking statement with its overt perfumes and flavours. This vintage release demonstrates a seamless marriage of intensity and balance, from a rare and remarkable season.

The 2024 vintage began on 17 January, the earliest harvest on record, following the warmest and earliest spring in our history. Benefiting from a seasonally wet winter and healthy, leafy canopies, the vines flourished, producing concentrated, ripe fruit with naturally vibrant acidity. Careful viticultural management by Bart Molony and the team, maintaining canopies for shade and evaporative cooling, ensured the fruit was protected in its final weeks of ripening.

The early warmth and dry conditions of the season resulted in a wine that is concentrated, while superb natural acidity has preserved the fine structure that defines Margaret River Chardonnay.

“This HEYTESBURY is an extraordinary demonstration of the powerful fruit from a unique vintage. Its rich, wild and complex character hangs off a strong line of acidity and classic phenolic tension.” Virginia Willcock.

Crafted from a meticulous selection of our Gingin clone HEYTESBURY plots, the fruit was harvested by hand, whole bunch pressed and wild fermented to preserve its power and texture. The wine matured for 10 months in French oak barriques (53% new) then harmonised on lees in tank for six months.

HEYTESBURY Chardonnay continues its storied legacy as a defining Margaret River wine, with an unmistakable sense of place.

APPEARANCE
Bright pale straw with a subtle green tinge.

NOSE
A powerful and expressive nose, layering peach, mandarin peel and preserved lemon. Savoury notes of pine forest, native sage and roasted cashew are complemented by struck flint and wet stone, all seamlessly integrated.

PALATE
The palate is richly layered yet precise, with a deeper, fuller fruit core than more classical vintages. A gentle saline edge gives way to flavours of peach and sage, with nuances of ginger, fennel and kaffir lime, complemented by a soft, chewy biscotti note. The palate builds to a long, dry and tightly structured finish.

WINEMAKING
Hand Harvested 17 January - 5 February 2024
Whole Bunches Pressed, Full Solids, Wild Fermented
Matured in French Oak Barriques (53% new), 10 months
13.5% Alc