2023 Voyager Estate Chardonnay

This is the first full Chardonnay release under Tim Shand’s stewardship, and what a statement it is. Sourced from six certified organic blocks across the Voyager Estate vineyard, the 2023 Chardonnay is a masterclass in precision, balance and place.

It was a near-perfect growing season, with a cool spring and a long, slow ripening period giving fruit that retained freshness and detail. Each parcel was hand-harvested and whole bunch pressed before wild ferment in French oak, 25% of which was new. A portion of malolactic was used to soften the acidity, and the wine matured for nine months on lees with regular bâtonnage.

The result is a Chardonnay that hits all the right notes. Citrus, white flowers and Meyer lemon lead on the nose, with hints of cedar and vanilla. The palate is poised and savoury, driven by acidity and underpinned by flinty texture and a chalky finish. It’s refined, complex and beautifully layered Margaret River Chardonnay at its most delicious.

A wine to enjoy now or cellar for a decade or more.

95 points
"Tim Shand has made such a profound impact since taking over as winemaker in ‘22 and while it’s early days, gee what’s on offer looks very, very good. Vintage ‘23 is his first complete harvest... This is moreish and the savoury edge comes through in tandem with tangy and juicy acidity, and almost a pop of saline tang to finish. Impressive."
- Jane Faulkner (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points
"This is the best Voyager chardonnay in yonks. It’s all by degrees of course but every degree in wine is hard won... 2023 was Shand’s first full vintage in charge of Voyager’s winemaking and if this wine is an indication, we’re in for a ride."
- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)