Santolin Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 scores 96 points from The Real Review
The Yarra Valley Chardonnay, made from fruit grown at Willowlake Vineyard in Gladysdale, was ranked seventh among 71 wines from the region and vintage and received a Top Rank distinction.
A 96-point Chardonnay from Willowlake Vineyard
The Real Review scored Santolin Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 from the Yarra Valley 96 points and five stars. Priced at AUD $48 and sealed with a screwcap, the wine was ranked seventh among 71 Yarra Valley Chardonnays from the 2023 vintage and received the publication’s Top Rank distinction. Santolin Wines was listed as the stockist.1
The grapes came from Willowlake Vineyard at Gladysdale in the Upper Yarra Valley. The wine was fermented in barrels with wild yeast and French oak, of which 40% was new, before spending 10 months on its lees in those barrels. It has 13% alcohol.1
Tasting profile and drinking window
The review described a light, bright appearance, followed by aromas of nougat and a palate combining Asian spices with lemon, grapefruit and mandarin. Pencil-wood and pineapple notes were also identified. The wine was assessed as intense, compact and precisely focused, with a seamless texture, finesse, energy and a notably persistent finish.1
The recommended drinking window runs from now through 2035, indicating an expectation that the wine will develop over an extended period. Japanese popcorn shrimp was suggested as a food pairing.1
Sources
Written by the Dionysus editors from the sources above.
