Product Description
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Rouleur, Whitlands High Plateau, Issy’s, 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
100% fruit sourced from the most elevated Victorian vineyard. With a view toward the snow fields, this alpine site offers such unique character and style, particularly in warmer vintages – and up here, at nearly 900m above sea level, the Burder vineyard thrives. A true cool climate Australian vineyard that is only now starting to be recognised for both quality of fruit and wine.
All fruit was handpicked in the second week of March when flavour, sugars and acidity were in sync and ready to go. Every bunch was meticulously hand sorted on the tractor and again back at the winery before processing.
Winemaking
2 tonnes of handpicked ‘Bernard 95 clone’ grapes picked at optimal ripeness. Hand sorted at the winery before gently pressing to 1 and 2YO Chassin 500L puncheons. After 1 week idling in barrel, wild ferment kicked off and the team managed fermentation at cooler temperatures, kept happy with regular
battonage and a small addition of nutrient too.
Matured on lees for 10 months we racked to tank, settled, cold stabilized and bottled without fining or filtration in early summer 2026.
Tasting Note
A much more delicate, finer boned Chardonnay than the Yarra Valley version. Issy shows her elevated origins early with aromas of lemon verbena florals, alpine herbs, red apple and sea spray. The palate has a lovely complex array of spice, creamy lees richness and tight nectarine too. Oak is there, but very much in the background as its intent. The delicate nature of this fruit looks much better once the new wood has been soaked for a season or two.
Goes well with
Cellaring
5 – 7 years with careful cellaring.
Don’t take our word for it
“From a single vineyard at 841m in the Whitlands High Plateau. A very bright green gold. Like the ’24 from this cool site, the bouquet is complex and discreet with its aromas of white pear, just-ripened nectarine, orange blossom and a little spice. The palate is linear without being lean and he finish is pithy and long. A singular and sympathetically made wine that will, I imagine, slowly unfurl and become even more complex over the next 5 – 7 years.” 96+ POINTS – Phillip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion, 2nd March 2026
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
