2023 Kooyong Faultline Vineyard Chardonnay 750ml

Awards, Ratings & Reviews

97/100 — Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion · 2023 Vintage · Published: 19 June 2025
“Faultline has morphed into an impeccable single-block wine of pedigree, detail and finesse. It has the edge over its sibling Farrago this vintage. Layers of flavour, yet restrained, nothing over the top here with grapefruit and lemon, struck-match flint, mint and feathery light cream-curd-like lees. Moreish and savoury with mouth-watering acidity and a succulence throughout; really, this is just so damn good. Drink it. I did.”

About This Wine

The Kooyong vineyard is located on the Mornington Peninsula at Tuerong, on Miocene sedimentary soils. Wines are made from domain grown, handpicked grapes and aim to manifest terroir through the integration of geology, soils, mesoclimates and seasonal conditions.

This single-block wine is sourced from 0.5ha of 27-year-old Chardonnay vines within the Faultline block, with soils containing limestone and deep clay contributing to structure and depth.

The fruit was whole-bunch pressed into French oak 350L barrels (20% new), with spontaneous fermentation from ambient yeasts. The wine was aged on lees for 11 months without batonnage and bottled without fining with minimal filtration.

Producer Notes

Aromas of grapefruit and lime blossom rise alongside white stone fruit, underpinned by flinty reduction, toasted dough, and a creamy hint of yogurt. Subtle oak frames the profile with gentle allure and support. The palate is vibrant and finely poised, with citrus fruit gliding along a crisp, linear acid line. Lees-derived texture and a delicate phenolic grip add depth and complexity. Pure, focused, and effortlessly driven, the wine carries through to a finish of remarkable length and clarity.

Specifications

• Vintage: 2023
• Grape Variety: Chardonnay
• Region: Mornington Peninsula / Victoria / Australia
• Maturation: 11 months on lees in French oak (20% new)
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Drinking Window: 2025–2035