Place of Changing Winds "Tradition" Chardonnay, Marsanne, Rousanne 2022

This year, the POCW team decided to see if a blend of the three white grapes they have in the cellar might work as well as the Tradition red. They were blown away by the result, and so were we. This is one-third Chardonnay from a new Dominique Laurent Tronçais cask and two-thirds Marsanne and Roussanne. It has all the generosity of this producer's Marsanne/Roussanne with the cut and thrust of the Chardonnay (not to mention some seriously classy oak). The first year of aging was in a mixture of 500-litre cask, Wineglobes and neutral barriques. The wine spent its second year in steel. It was bottled at the end of November 2023.

"Mid-light yellow colour, forward for its age, but the bouquet confirms that it's been wood aged and this has also added smoky charcuterie, spices and honey to result in a complex nose. The palate picks up the thread and delivers a rich full-bodied mouthful with roundness and viscosity, well-judged phenolics contributing to the structure and texture, the finish rolling long and satisfying. This is a smashing Rhône-style dry white of great character and texture." 95 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review

Country: Australia
Producer: Place of Changing Winds
Region: Heathcote