2024 Nocturne Single Vineyard Wilson Chardonnay

Julian on the new addition to the Nocturne range:
"This year we add in the Wilson Vineyard from Wallcliffe, why obviously as its epic too."

Nocturne Tasting Notes (Julian Langworthy):
This lovely, supple, subtle wine, while being just that, still has trademark Margaret River fruit weight and drive. Think blossom, white nectarine, purity all wrapped in a nocturne Chardonnay mineral blanket.

Details & Overview (Julian Langworthy):
While I have been taking this fruit in for a while, this is only the second release. What I find compelling is a certain raw beauty in its purity. Unlike Forest Vineyard, which relies on raw power, Wilson Vineyard boasts a fruit purity that is both subtle and compelling at the same time. It’s amazing to me, the contrasting natures of the unique and wonderful sites we have in Margaret River that, really, we are just getting to grips with.

The fruit is from a single site in the Wallcliffe sub-region, but further from the coast, inland from the township. The Chardonnay block is again pretty tiny, with only 2 hectares planted. The plantings are oriented east-west with a slight northerly aspect to the slope. This tiny four-tonne batch is a handpicked selection from the top of this slope.

The fruit was harvested on 3rd February, chilled overnight and pressed as bunches into a selection of new, one- and two-year-old puncheons, with no settling or fining processes. This juice was then carefully monitored, and spontaneous fermentation kicked off on day three after pressing. After a three-week ferment, the wine remained on gross lees unsulphured until September of that year. In December, the wine was emptied from barrel, settled, filtered and bottled. The final blend saw around 20% new oak.