The Syberia Chardonnay is a single-block wine, sourced from a 10-acre block at the highest point on the Hoddles Creek property. It’s a very low-yielding plot, with 1.3 tonnes per acre considered an average yield. Unusually, the plantings run east to west, meaning the sun shines onto the canopy rather than directly on the fruit, resulting in long, even ripening. The fruit was whole-bunch pressed to barrel and spent seven months in old oak, followed by a long élevage in bottle which Franco asserts “preserves vineyard purity”.
This is a beautifully composed, characterful and complex Chardonnay, layered with salinity, fleshy citrus, white pepper spice and wisps of reduction. Pure flavours soar through the palate, touched by phenolic weight, tensile acidity and a salty/mineral lick. It finishes complex and long. There’s so much bang for buck to be found here.