2024 Derwent Estate Calcaire Chardonnay 750ml

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Overview

Calcaire is Derwent Estate's reserve-level Chardonnay from Tasmania's Derwent Valley, grown over rare Permian limestone derived from an ancient seabed. The 2024 is a focused, age-worthy expression combining exceptional fruit purity and natural acidity with wild fermentation, fine solids, integrated French oak and full malolactic fermentation. Huon Hooke awarded it 98 points and selected it as an Australian Wine of the Week.

Vineyard

The Chardonnay is grown on a north-facing bank of the Derwent River in a 29-year-old cool-climate vineyard. Permeable loam soils lie over Permian limestone originating from a 250–280-million-year-old seabed. The vines are meticulously hand-tended, with yields reduced by 50% to one bunch per shoot. Plantings include I10V1, I10V5 and Penfolds clones.

Winemaking

Whole bunches went directly to an inert-gas press, with only pristine juice from the middle of the press cycle selected and transferred directly to new French oak. Primary fermentation was carried out by natural yeast. No sulphur was added during maturation in oak. The wine spent 11 months in 50% new oak with fortnightly lees stirring and underwent 100% malolactic fermentation in spring before filtration and bottling.

Producer Tasting Notes

Derwent Estate: “Spend time and enjoy each glass as it opens. Some key features to look for are a focused fruit profile, the unique acid line, wild yeast, ultra-fine solids, integrated oak, multiple strain malolactic impact, touches of autolysis. A style that evolves and grows with bottle age.”

Critic Reviews

98/100 — Huon Hooke, The Real Review: “Light yellow colour, light for its age, with an immediately gorgeous bouquet of complexity and finesse. It’s youthful, understated yet super-intense and focused. A wine of great fruit purity, with outstanding line and length. An outstanding chardonnay that will be long lived.”
Tasted 17 February 2026
Drinking Window: 2026–2039

Specifications

• Vintage: 2024
• Grape Variety: Chardonnay
• Region: Derwent Valley, Tasmania, Australia
• Alcohol: 13%
• pH: 3.3
• Acidity: 6.5 g/L
• Residual Sugar: 0 g/L
• Vine Age: 29 years
• Clones: I10V1, I10V5 and Penfolds
• Soil: Permeable loam over Permian limestone
• Pressing: Whole bunch pressed under inert gas
• Fermentation: Natural yeast fermentation in French oak
• Maturation: 11 months in oak with fortnightly lees stirring
• Oak: 50% new French oak
• Malolactic Fermentation: 100%
• Drinking Window: 2026–2039