Voyager Estate’s superb Chardonnay has all the presence, elegance and purity of fruit that we have come to expect from this renowned producer. In particular, it reflects the cooler climate of the Wallcliffe sub-region and, more precisely, the Stevens Valley—arguably Margaret River’s finest Chardonnay zone. The area is characterised by gentle slopes of red/brown gravelly soils, with a stony/clay subsoil. Influenced by cooling breezes from the nearby Indian Ocean, it’s a superb microclimate for Chardonnay, and the Voyager team pulls out all the stops to deliver on this promise.
The vineyard is planted to nine different clones of Chardonnay with each bringing different nuances to the wine. The main clones are: the well-known Gin Gin clone, which brings power and concentration; and the Bernard Clones 95, 96 and 76, which offer a more restrained flavour profile and contribute wonderful texture, finesse and freshness.
Eight separate blocks were hand-harvested, cooled overnight, then whole-bunch pressed and transferred to French oak (38% new) for natural fermentation. Selected parcels underwent malolactic fermentation and the wine was aged for nine months in oak barriques, undergoing regular bâtonnage, before final blending and bottling in January 2021.