# Chardonnay (2024)

- **Producer:** Patrick Sullivan
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Victoria, Australia
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €60
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** grapefruit, pineapple, peach, nectarine, lemon zest, green apple, white peach, citrus, toasted hazelnuts, spice, creamy, subtle creaminess, wet stones, chalky minerality, saline finish

## About this wine

The 2024 Chardonnay from Patrick Sullivan represents a collection of site-specific wines from Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Sullivan, a respected figure in Australia's natural wine movement, employs biodynamic farming and minimal intervention winemaking to express the unique terroir of each vineyard. The 2024 vintage was characterized by low yields and ideal conditions, resulting in wines of notable concentration and elegance. The portfolio includes distinct bottlings such as 'Bull Swamp', 'Ada River', and 'Black Sands', each reflecting the specific soil types and microclimates of their origins.

## Interesting facts

- Sullivan practices biodynamic farming without irrigation or tillage.
- He focuses on Chardonnay as a precise vehicle for terroir expression.
- The 'Black Sands' vineyard has a rare soil profile of black volcanic sand over limestone.
- The 2024 vintage saw low yields, contributing to wine concentration.

## Food pairing

The wine's vibrant acidity and mineral notes cut through the richness of seafood and creamy dishes, while its subtle complexity complements delicate flavors. The structure of the wine can also stand up to roasted poultry.

## Wine making process

Patrick Sullivan's 2024 Chardonnay is crafted using a minimal intervention approach. Fruit is hand-harvested and whole-cluster crushed, then settled before wild primary fermentation in barriques, often with a portion of new oak. Complete malolactic fermentation is carried out. The wine then ages in barrique for eleven months, with lees stirring employed to enhance texture. Sulfur is typically added only at bottling, reflecting a philosophy of allowing the vineyard's character to dominate.