Editors notes
2020 Shadowfax Macedon Ranges Chardonnay comes from three superb, unique sites: Midhill, Mt Macedon and Little Hampton. A late and wet 2019 spring in the Macedon Ranges set small crops. Then 2020's cool summer and mild spring led to a very long growing season. The elevation (740m above sea level) of Little Hampton gives it extra cool nights, helping to retain natural acidity in the grapes.
Hand harvested fruit was firmly whole bunch pressed to impart some skin contact to release the full flavour profile and impart some phenolic texture. Natural ferment occurred in new (24%) and older French barrels. The wine was left to unwind and age slowly on its ferment lees to add generosity. Every barrel was treated as is own entity, with some allowed to go through natural Malolactic fermentation to add further depth. After 11 months the wine was racked and filtered prior to bottling in February 2021.
Details
-
Wine Type
-
Vintage
-
Variety
-
Brand
-
Location
-
Cellaring
-
Closure
-
Alcohol Percentage
-
Bottle Size
-
Oak Type
Tasting Profile
-
Light (Light)Full (Full)
-
Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
-
Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
-
Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
-
Aroma
- Apple
- Lemon
- Nectarine
-
Palate
- Apple
- Cream
- Peach
Food Pairings
-
Cheese -
Fish -
Poultry
Critic Scores & reviews
-
Huon Hooke
95"(2019 Vintage) This wine charms with its fruit-driven nature, the bouquet suggesting nougat and lemon, with nigh invisible oak; the palate superbly balanced and beautifully composed, with line, length and emerging complexity."
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
Current auction
All current auctions for this wine & any different vintages.
Locations
Australia
Australia's wine industry is a thriving part of the country's economy, contributing significantly to employment, production, export, and tourism. In fact, the industry is the fourth-largest wine exporter in the world, shipping out 760 million liters of wine to countries including France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. One of the key factors contributing to Australia's success as a "New World" wine producer is the formal export and marketing of its wines through Wine Australia.
Australia's wine regions are scattered across the south and southeast, with almost every state boasting its own vineyards. Victoria, for example, is home to an impressive 21 wine regions. Some of the most famous wine regions in Australia include Margaret River, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, and local regions to New South Wales such as Cowra, Southern Highlands, and Mudgee.
Australian winemakers are known for producing a diverse range of grape varieties, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir being among the most popular. They tend to focus on producing wines that are ripe, fruit-forward, and easy to drink, using modern winemaking techniques and equipment such as stainless steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation.
With its bold, fruit-driven flavors and reputation for quality and diversity, Australian wine has become a popular choice for wine lovers around the world. And with such a broad range of wine regions and grape varieties, there's something for every palate to enjoy.
Victoria
The wine region of Victoria has the highest number of grapevines than any other state in Australia. It is home to over 600 wineries and well-known regions such as Yarra Valley, Heathcote, and Rutherglen. Victoria is situated in the southeastern corner of Australia where due to the location, the climate has a cool maritime influence and is known for its outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, along with producing Australia’s most famed dessert Muscat and Topaque wines.
There are a number of different terroir levels throughout the wine region of Victoria which leads to the production of different ranges of wines. In the southern region of Victoria, the vines are regulated by the cool winds of the Bass Strait. Central Victoria consists of mostly flat terrain that tends to be drier and warmer than the rest of Victoria, which results in more fruit concentrated wines. It may be surprising to note that Victoria is the third most productive wine region in Australia, seeing as it does not have as many areas suitable for viticulture, which has resulted in the cellar door culture of Victoria being concentrated with smaller, but more personal boutique wineries.
Macedon Ranges
Located less than an hour’s drive from Melbourne, the Macedon Ranges is a wine region comprising elevated plains and parts of the Great Dividing Range and the Central Victorian Highlands. Home to over 40 wineries, this wine region is probably most well known for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay infused sparkling wines. The wineries at Macedon Ranges are known to produce high quality wines that are limited in quantity.
The Macedon Ranges are the coldest grape growing region in mainland Australia because of its cool to cold temperatures due to the fact that the ranges are 400-700 meters above sea level. The Great Dividing Range makes a natural watershed dividing the region into two separate but related areas. Both of these areas have a base of volcanic soil and have heavy amounts of winter rain, and the long and cool summers and autumns hold perfect conditions for extended ripening periods of fruit. The southern areas of Gisborne, Lancefield and Romsey create high quality wines from early ripening varieties, such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The northern areas of Kyneton, Metcalfe, Taradale, Malmsbury, Springhill, Glenlyon, Daylesford, and Yandoit tend to produce amazing full bodied shiraz, Riesling and Merlot.
The grapes grown in the Macedon Ranges hold an unbelievable mix of bright acidity and steely backbone with intense flavor which creates a harmonious balance between alcohol, acidity and fruit complexity which makes the wines from this region a great choice for all kinds of food pairings such as beef tartare, and duck breast.
About the brand Shadowfax
Established in 1998, Shadowfax is a boutique winery located just 30 minutes from Melbourne, in the heart of Werribee Park. Dedicated to creating high quality and handcrafted wines, our renowned varieties include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Shiraz as well as a selection of highly limited, single-vineyard wines.
You May Also Like
Customer Reviews
-
Nice ChardonnayNice dry , light bodied chardonnay , typical cool climate characterisctics
Posted on
Write Your Own Review