Bob Campbell MW 96 points - 5 stars
"Taut, intense and complex chardonnay with nectarine, ripe peach, mineral/oyster shell, nutty yeast lees and subtle spicy oak flavours. Very appealing now but with a promising future. Clearly a great vintage." 15/9/2022.
Cameron Douglas MS 95 points.
*95 points - Outstanding "Fabulous bouquet with a range of scents from youthful, fresh, some new wood energy and spice with a core of fruit, to a sense of place with warm silty soils and whisps of salty air. Complex. On the palate a full-bodied wine with a satin touch, flavours of white nectarine and ripe grapefruit flesh, apples and a leesy mineral complexity. Great acid line and, judicious use of oak and core of fruit. Wood spice and tannins layer in mouthfeel, some tension and plenty of length. A lovely wine with best drinking from mid to late 2023 through 2029." Cameron Douglas MS, October 2022.
WINERY NOTE:
Escaroth’s fire-breathing dragon has found a pile of gold and sat on it. The riches are our new parcel of Chardonnay nestled at the very top of Escaroth’s north-facing slope in the Southern Valleys’ Taylor Pass. Growers Andy and Kyna have tended the vines zealously since this parcel’s reincarnation to Clone 95 chardonnay.
This inaugural vintage has bowled us over with its bright, zesty grapefruit and lemon notes coupled with brioche, musk and savoury toastiness. There is an oyster-shell, chalky texture that is borne upon precise, defined acidity. Wild fermentation, zero battonage, natural malolactic fermentation and a mixed format oak regime (barriques and puncheons – 30% new) results in a complex and layered palate. Maintaining our minimalist philosophy, we bottle it without filtration and it is presented only with sincerity.
