SHAW & SMITH M3 Chardonnay - Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2023/24 Bottle VEG/VGN

Description

The dynamic partnership of cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW began in 1989 when the duo decided to realise their dream of making wine together. A talent for wine runs in this family, with Martin honing his craft at the University of Bordeaux, and Michael being the first Australian to pass the notoriously difficult Master of Wine exams in 1988. Since founding Shaw + Smith, they have consistently made exciting, refined wines, exclusively from the Adelaide Hills, that rank among Australia’s best.

Shaw + Smith’s wines are made from several sites throughout the Adelaide Hills and they specialise in grape varieties suited to the cooler climate, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. The Shaw + Smith winemaking team consists of chief winemaker Adam Wadewitz, one of Australia’s brightest winemaking talents, winemaker Matthew Large and assistant winemaker Alex Clark. Adam was named the WINE magazine Winemaker of the Year 2022 in recognition of his ten vintages at the helm of Shaw + Smith. The trio work closely with viticulturist Murray Leake, who succeeded Ray Guerin when he retired in 2015. Together they are taking Shaw + Smith to new heights. “30 years ago, we made the wines in the winery; today, we make them in the vineyard,” says Adam.

The single vineyard Chardonnay and single vineyard Pinot Noir come from the ‘Lenswood’ vineyard. The cooler nights here give the wines from this site their characteristic freshness and concentration. The ‘Lenswood’ Chardonnay is every bit as good as at the fabled Tolpuddle, Shaw + Smith’s Tasmanian project, but with more weight on the mid-palate and an alluring silky texture derived from a move from small barriques to 500-litre barrels. The ‘Lenswood’ Pinot Noir uses 30% whole bunch to lift the aromatics from this exceptional vineyard, giving the wine an alluring perfume and lovely grainy tannins on the palate.

This wine opens with intense aromas of white flowers, nectarine and lemon pith. Aiming for elegance, restraint and the ability to age, the acidity is bright and there is generosity of flavour.