Stargazer Chardonnay 2022

Stargazer Chardonnay 2022

$65.00

Higher toned and more angular than the 2021, the 2022 is wider and less round in shape. Bright and bracing, yellow peach, white peach, grapefruit, citrus, white flowers, wood spice, pastry and cashew. Intense, very linear, driven, compact and generous. Bracing acidity and great cut, a chardonnay of both volume and cut. Anyone familiar with the higher vineyards of Pouilly Fuisse will love this. A thoroughly complete wine, all the elements vivid, balanced and integrated. This for me is the essence of the best Tasmanian Chardonnay. Waters Wine Co

2022 is the second vintage that Stargazer have used both fruit from their own Palisander vineyard in Coal River Valley + sourced from a grower in the Upper Derwent Valley, which was formerly 100% of the blend. The Stargazer plot was planted in 2017, south facing and is primarily brown dermosol on Jurassic dolerite. The Derwent Valley vineyard owned by Bernand Brain was planted in 1999 and there are soils white silica sand over sandstone and clay. The site is north-east facing. Hand picked, whole bunch pressed directly to oak for fermentation. Wild ferment in 500L French oak (Mercurey), 20% new. Full malolactic. No lees stirring, left in barrel for 8 months, the blended in tank for 3 months before bottling.

 

The nose shows plenty of white nectarine and fresh pear with some background secondary notes of gunflint and almond meal. The palate is complex and round with mandarin juice mouth-watering acidity, the fruit and oak integrated and focused at the same time. Producer’s notes

 

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SKU: SGA002-22 Categories: , ,

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Producer Profile

Stargazer, in a very short space of time, has become one of the most exciting prospects in Tasmania.

Founder/owner/winemaker and grape grower, Samantha Connew, released her first Stargazer wines in 2012, after previously working with Wirra Wirra as chief winemaker. Initially her fruit was sourced from small parcels in the Coal River Valley and still is, but in 2016 Sam purchased an 11 hectare property, with 1 hectare of Riesling and Pinot Noir. She increased plantings to 3 hectares in 2017, more Pinot and Chardonnay. With a relentlessness born out of passion, true grit and early success, she has increased plantings in 2021, with additional Pinot Noir, Gamay, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurtztraminer. No doubt, there is more to come.

The vineyard is farmed sustainably. Every site, everywhere in the world is unique, but much of Tasmania is covered by brown dermosol soil over Jurassic dolerite. Free draining, but with excellent water holding capacity, fertility and high calcium content, it produces healthy crops of thick skinned grapes. Tannin management is the holy grail for Australian Pinot Noir, most being delightfully fruity, but without the requisite tannic power necessary for great Pinot. Tasmania, evidenced by producers such as Home Hill and Stargazer, are teasing not only longer, more refined tannins, but tannins of grip and presence that hold the palate and parade the fruit.

The whites all possess high levels of natural acids, tension, chisel, texture and flesh. There is a Pinot Meunier/Pinot Noir blend called Rada and a straight Pinot Noir. The Rada (when available) is juicy, bright, red fruited with pastry notes, delicate tannin and bracing acidity. The pinot noir, compact, spicy and wildly complex. Full bodied, structured and very powerful, it’s wide in the mouth and texturally silky, before the tannins fully assert themselves with an authoritative grip.

Stargazer’s range is unbeatable. The prices are a steal, truly fine wines of this quality are and should be more expensive. Sam Connew’s winemaking is an exercise in controlled virtuosity, bringing nuance and delicacy threaded with breadth, richness, structure and thrust.

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