Product Description
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Rouleur, Regional, Chardonnay, 2025, Yarra Valley, Australia
Producer Profile
Matt East grew up in the Yarra Valley and worked alongside his father in the family vineyard from a young age. He dedicated 10 years to grape growing with a focus on Pinot Noir and made wine in the shed growing up. He further honed his skills in local wineries during vintage and eventually left the Yarra Valley to study, travel and pursue a career in the broader wine industry.
As a keen cyclist all his life, Matt’s love affair with the bike matches his passion for making wine from exceptional sites across the Yarra Valley and elevated, alpine climbs of the Whitlands High Plateau. Rouleur (noun – Roller) was inspired by vineyards Matt discovered while riding – chance meetings with growers and local people that helped turn dreams into reality.
All Rouleur fruit is handpicked and sorted. White grapes are largely pressed as whole bunches, to new and old larger format oak. Variety dependent, Matt opts for subtle use of skin contact during fermentation, particularly with his Pinot Gris, a standout wine in the range. The Rouleur reds are mostly fermented with whole berries intact, while whole bunches are used in varying degrees when site, vintage and style dictate accordingly.
Viticulture
75% Chardonnay, clone p58 from a low yielding, northerly facing 1974 planted vineyard in East Seville. Blended with 25% Chardonnay – same clone in the lower part of the Yarra Valley in Yarra Glen. Perched atop a southerly facing hill, this 30YO vineyard offers a neat contrast to the deeply flavoured old vine fruit from the Upper Yarra Valley.
Whilst Yarra Glen doesn’t have the same depth and drive, it offers a lovely finesse and citrus character that compliments the blend perfectly.
Harvested within 2 weeks of each other, all fruit was handpicked.
Winemaking
The latest Rouleur Chardonnay is a wine offering fine layers of complexity that will unfold gradually over the coming 6-12 months, and will surely age well over the coming years for those patient enough to wait.
All fruit was handpicked and sorted both on the tractor and at the winery (pre-press). Grapes were then pressed gently, and juice was run to larger format 500L Puncheons and smaller pressings barrels were kept separate from the blend. Barrels were left to commence wild fermentation, and later overseeded to ensure a clean, dry finish. Select barrels, mostly those with lovely sulphide character were stirred during ferment to add further layers and interest. MLF was avoided and all barrels were topped and sulphured post primary. 9 months maturation on full lees with the occasional use of battonage during winter months, as required. And then in late spring, it was racked from barrel to tank and settled over 1 month, cold and heat stabilised and lightly filtered before
bottling in early December 2025.
Tasting Note
With Seville showing its obvious class and complexity, this portion was always going to lead the blend. Both racy and driven with flavour – think white flowers, flint and stone fruits backed by lees derived texture and drive. The Yarra Glen parcel was more citrus driven, hence working these barrels more in the winery, amping up the secondary character, complimenting the blend. Underlying mealy new Burgundian oak (15%) provides a tone of quality in what is already a complex, layered chardonnay. Certainly a wine that will benefit from short term cellaring but one that drinks beautifully now.
In bottle, there’s a lovely grapefruit pith tang carrying white fleshed nectarine, melon and cashew over hints of flint like reduction. Plenty of mineral acidity is well integrated and supported by a lash of Burgundian oak. A liquorice and anise spice edge adds complexity whilst never losing its cooling acid line.
Goes well with
Some classic seafood suggestions:
- Buttery Lobster: The classic combination; Chardonnay’s acidity cuts through the butter, while its body matches the lobster’s richness.
- Pan-Seared Scallops: Their inherent sweetness matches the roundness of the wine.
- Grilled Salmon or Halibut: The char from the grill complements any subtle toast notes from oak, while the fish’s oiliness handles the wine’s weight.
- Crab Cakes: Pair with herb-forward preparation to highlight the fruit
Cellaring
Drink now and comfortably through to 2030 if cellared carefully.
Features
Varieties: Chardonnay 100%
Colour: White
ABV: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Style: Still
Case Size: 12 x 75cl
Country: Victoria, Australia
Region: Yarra Valley
Vintage: 2025
