Chardonnay 2022 – Estate Grown Pemberton Wine | Below&Above

Our 2022 Chardonnay is a blend of Gingin and Burgundy Clone 76 grapes, hand-picked from our Pemberton, Western Australia vineyard on 16 March 2022. This exceptional vintage benefited from a dry, warm and consistent growing season roughly 5% warmer than average, concentrating flavour in every bunch.

Winemaking
The fruit was whole-cluster pressed for refined, gently extracted juice, then fermented and matured sur lie for 10 months in 228-litre French oak barrels sourced from the Allier and Vosges forests (one-third new). Partial malolactic fermentation was used to achieve natural balance in acidity, with fortnightly batonnage through September (tapering to monthly) to build texture and complexity. Bottled on 14 February 2023 — only 2,560 bottles produced.

Tasting notes
Bright straw in colour with brilliant clarity. The nose offers white peach, quince, fresh-cut fennel and toasted almonds. On the palate, the Gingin clone brings vibrant citrus intensity and natural acidity, while Clone 76 adds refined texture and elegant stone fruit character, finishing long, taut and mineral-driven. Subtle malolactic complexity supports the fruit without oak dominating.

Drinking window: Delicious now, with the structure to develop over the next decade.

Region: Pemberton, Western Australia
Blend: 80% Gingin, 20% Clone 76
Oak: French oak (Allier & Vosges), 1/3 new, 10 months
Bottled: 2,560 bottles, February 2023