Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay 2010 Adelaide Hills Australia

This Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay 2010 from the Adelaide Hills  in South Australia is pale lemon with a definite green tint at the rim ( sign of a young wine), it has fresh clean aromas that have a lime character with other citric fruits also play their part. On the palate there is fresh bright acidity keeping the apple, peach and pithy grapefruit clean and lively, a little spice intermingles and it has a bit of a cheesey character. Great length and a complex peachey finish define this wine as a carefully well made wine, with a great future. It has elegance and finesse, the oak usage is not obvious but part of its well knitted charcater. The texture is silky and overall you could enjoy this wine with or without food. Just enjoy!
This wine is available from Majestic for £25.
Score : 86

Established in 1989 by Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith, Shaw and Smith's aim is to make contemporary, high quality wines that stand amongst the best of their type in Australia. The wines are made exclusively from fruit grown in the Adelaide Hills, one of Australia's coolest and most exciting regions. Shaw and Smith specialise in grape varieties suited to the cooler climate, such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The wines are vinified at Shaw and Smith's winery in the Hills.'

Winemakers are Martin Shaw and Darryl Catlin.

 

The M3 Vineyard at Woodside is named after the vineyard owners, Michael and Martin along with Michael‘s brother Matthew. It was planted in 1995.  The vines are planted at a high density of 2,780 vines per hectare and are hand pruned with vertical shoot positioned canopies.

The winemaker says ' Hand picked grapes - 3 different cultivars of Chardonnay - were chilled overnight and then whole bunch pressed. The must was barrel fermented with over 50% wild yeasts in one third new, one third one year old and one third two year old French barriques (approx 228 litres) for ten months during which time the lees were regularly stirred and malolactic fermentation allowed to take place.'