Woodlands Wilyabrup Valley Chardonnay 2024 is a wine of purity, concentration and energy from one of Margaret River's founding estates. The 2024 vintage, the driest since 2007, produced exceptionally low yields and concentrated fruit from the Woodlands Brook Vineyard in Margaret River's renowned Wilyabrup Valley.
Tasting Notes
Appearance — Bright pale straw with a hint of gold.
Aroma — White peach, nectarine and apricot layered with sea spray freshness and subtle struck-match complexity.
Palate — Fresh and vibrant yet powerful, with crisp orchard fruits, layers of apricot and melon, phenolic grip adding texture, and a long mineral finish of finesse and balance.
Winemaking
Fermentation proceeded spontaneously in French oak barrels with some malolactic fermentation occurring though not promoted. The wine spent time in barrel before bottling under screwcap to preserve aromatic freshness.
Woodlands Brook Vineyard
Established from 2013 on Puzey Road in the Wilyabrup Valley, two kilometres inland from the original Woodlands Vineyard. Seven hectares of Chardonnay were planted on a gentle south-facing slope with east-west rows, promoting balanced ripening and aromatic precision. Sandy loam over clay soils and the Wente (Mendoza) clone — taken as massale cuttings from the celebrated Chloe block — form the foundation of this wine. Vines are planted at 5,000 per hectare without irrigation.
Vintage 2024
2024 was a warm and very dry vintage — the driest since 2007. Spring conditions commenced early, bringing forward flowering and veraison. The remainder of the growing season stayed dry and warm, producing extremely low yields and highly concentrated fruit throughout much of the Wilyabrup Valley.
Food Pairing
Grilled lobster, pan-seared scallops, roast chicken, soft cheeses, mushroom risotto and smoked salmon.
