Winery & Vintage Info
The first extensive plantings of Chardonnay took place on the Estate in 1979, although there are scattered vines identified as the varietal in a 'fruit salad' vineyard block that dates back to 1927. 1988 was the first commercial vintage to be released and Chardonnay is the only of the Tahbilk whites to spend extended time in oak prior to bottling.
At Tahbilk, we like to say that every bottle tells a story, so in that case, the stories behind Vintage 2023 will be some of the most dramatic. In October 2022, Tahbilk Estate bore the brunt of a 1 in 100-year flood, which affected our vines, impacted yields, and affected us, the Tahbilk team. Our vines have bounced back, thankfully with no longterm damage and minimal, if any attrition. In fact, if you walk around today you couldn’t tell that over half of the vineyard had been under water. As for the team, this challenge will ultimately make us stronger. Then, as with every season, we were presented with a ‘normal’ set of issues around the weather, adding further to our taxing season. The summer’s heat came quickly, and the ground once full of water was dry again, so we irrigated. Then the rain came, we stopped irrigating and waited for the weather to pass. It then became cool, the length of the season caught up with us, and not everything ripened so sadly we ended up leaving fruit on the vines… including our iconic 1860 Shiraz! The yields for the season, albeit low, have produced some very fine wines that embody the demands of this season, wines that we are extremely proud of and proud to share. So, when you are lucky enough to drink a Tahbilk wine from the 2023 season, think of the season, and think of us.
Jo Nash - General Manager and Winemaker
