Product Description
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Curly Flat, Estate, Chardonnay, 2024, Macedon Ranges, Victoria, Australia
Producer Profile
Curly Flat, located in the Macedon Ranges, is a small, privately owned, estate-based vineyard and winery.
Curly Flat was developed from 1989 by Phillip Moraghan and Jenifer Kolkka after the greenfield site had been identified as ideal for growing the early ripening varieties of pinot noir and chardonnay. In 2017, Jenifer became the sole owner of Curly Flat. Under her leadership, the winery’s reputation for high-quality winemaking continues. Jenifer and her team are fully committed to producing the best possible wines from the carefully nurtured site.
The Macedon Ranges is the coolest viticultural area on mainland Australia. This unique viticultural site owes much to the combination of altitude (540 metres above sea level), latitude (south of The Great Dividing Range), and distance from the migrating influence of the ocean. After warm summer days, crisp cool evenings follow, which slow ripening and help retain natural acidity. These are ideal conditions for the early ripening varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Viticulture
2024 began with the cool spring conditions setting a slow start; warmer temperatures and moderate rainfall in later spring supported excellent vine development. Warm to hot conditions in summer were buffered by a high rainfall event in January, providing a wonderful respite for the vines and replenishing soils. February and early March turned dry, with moderate temperatures providing the ideal platform for aiding flavour concentration and balance. Vintage was cool and dry, occurring later March, allowing us to harvest at ideal ripeness. The 2024 wines show balanced acidity, refined structure and a depth of complexity for longevity.
Winemaking
Picked in the cool of the morning, Chardonnay from three distinct blocks were whole bunch pressed to tank with cloudy juice transferred to barrel the following day. Indigenous yeasts dictated ferment in various formats ranging from 300 and 500 litre new and older French oak barrels. Barrels were stirred monthly until minimal sulphur was added in late Spring once malolactic ferment (MLF) was near complete. The 2024 Chardonnay has gone through 90% MLF along with 12 month barrel aging in French oak – 30% of which was new oak, 40% 2nd fill and 30% 3rd fill. Bottled with minimal filtration.
Tasting Note
Delicate aromas of white flowers, lemon sorbet and green apple, complemented by warming cedar and spice from barrel ageing (all French oak, naturally). Citrus pith, white peach and hints of yeast lees sit comfortably alongside the crystalline minerality. Judicious use of malolactic fermentation adds creamy richness to the mouthfeel. A tight, linear acid line and palate richness will see the 2024 Curly Flat Chardonnay age well into the future; easily 5-8 years, and likely longer.
Goes well with
The 2024 Curly Flat Estate Chardonnay is a benchmark cool-climate wine defined by striking Burgundy-style reduction, vibrant natural acidity, and a creamy, multi-layered texture derived from extensive time on lees and partial malolactic fermentation. With complex notes of struck match, flint, lemon curd, white peach, and caramel popcorn, this gastronomic wine demands food featuring rich proteins, buttery sauces, or textural depth.
Cellaring
5 – 8 years plus with careful cellaring.
Don’t just take our word for it…
“Ah, that good old Burgundy-like feel on the first sniff – hard to overlook, especially for those who love that reductive style, like I do. Notes of struck match, Meyer lemon, custard apple, margarine, and crunchy Golden Delicious apples come through clearly. Everything is effortlessly integrated over a textural, multi-layered palate, lifted by a stream of acidity. Nothing really screams for attention; rather, it’s the harmony that makes it so compelling. It’s a wine that would pair beautifully with anything featuring protein and a butter-based sauce. I dream of pan-roasted lobster à la française, but let’s be honest, I’m lucky if I can still afford a whole organic chicken from the market! A true gastronomic wine – one that engages your taste buds with purpose.”
95 POINTS – Lisa Cardelli, WinePilot
Features
Varieties: Chardonnay 100%
Colour: White
ABV: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Style: Still Wine
Case Size: 6 x 75cl
Country: Australia
Region: Macedon Ranges, Victoria
Vintage: 2024
