Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay

Established in 1989 by Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith, Shaw + Smith's aim is to make contemporary, high quality wines that stand amongst the best of their type in Australia. The wines are made exclusively from fruit grown in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, one of Australia's coolest and most exciting regions. Shaw + Smith specialise in grape varieties suited to the cooler climate, such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay and also make fantastic wines from Shiraz and Pinot Noir. Their wines consistently win medals and trophies at international wine competitions.

Vineyards

Fruit was sourced principally from the Shaw & Smith vineyard at Lenswood. Low yields were achieved by aggressive pruning and pre-harvest bunch thinning. All fruit was hand-picked to avoid fruit damage.

Vinification

Whole bunches were chilled overnight prior to pressing. The juice was then barrel fermented in new, one and two year old French oak barriques. Wild yeast fermentation and partial malolactic fermentation were used to add complexity and mouth-feel to the wine. After fermentation, the wine spent nine months in barrique, with some lees stirring to build complexity. Special care is taken not to over oak the wine, in order to maintain fruit purity.

Tasting Notes

A beautifully complex nose showing lemon, apple and white peach along with biscuit notes. The palate displays trademark M3 elegance and restraint with an extra dimension of creaminess through the finish. A wine of depth and concentration that balances generous fruit flavours with savoury characters and crisp acidity.