Winemaker Notes
Elevated honeysuckle, grapefruit and kaffir lime aromas mingle with a fresh sea-breezy quality to this nose that hints at a sense of place by the ocean. Lower tone signature Chardonnay notes of nougat, grilled nuts and shortbread biscuit bring depth and richness to an alluring bouquet.
The mouth bursts with regional purity and a quartzy acidity that compliments the coiled citrus power and textural finesse of the wine. Judicious use of fine French oak lends hazelnut and wafer flavors plus extra length, assuring excellent ageing potential.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A vivid and bright chardonnay with cooked apple, lemon and mineral character. Hints of vanilla and cream. Full body, clean and lively. Screw cap.
-
Wine & Spirits
Vasse Felix farms chardonnay at three of its four vineyard sites in Margaret River, including the Home Vineyard in Wilyabrup, where Tom Cullity planted the region’s first vines in 1967. This 2015 has the woodsy scent of acacia blossoms and the cool feel of the Margaret River’s coastal forest. The fruit is tight until, with air, its lemon severity opens toward finesse, detailed floral notes and lasting tart citrus flavors. Pour it with grilled abalone or other fresh shellfish.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
A substantial and an impressive effort, the 2015 Vasse Felix Chardonnay breaks out a beautiful combination of peach skin, spicy oak, and perky mineral it is aromas and flavors. The wine's excellent weight on the palate would pair superbly with a grilled white fish in a delicate cream sauce. (Tasted: July 11, 2017, San Francisco, CA USA)
-
Wine Spectator
Intriguing, offering a fragrant mix of toast, saline and lemon curd flavors that are juicy and focused, with good intensity. Bracing acidity opens up the flavors on the finish, showing transparency and energy. Drink now through 2027.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Home to some of Australia’s most elegant and long-lived red and white wines, Margaret River is situated in the farthest reaches of Western Australia. Relatively warm and dry, the region is cooled by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Margaret River takes some inspiration from Bordeaux, producing top-quality Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux Blends with firm structure, mouthwatering acidity, balanced alcohol and notes of herbs and spice. For white wines, refreshing blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon as well as complex, age-worthy Chardonnays are regional specialties.