# Chardonnay (2023)

- **Producer:** Timo Mayer
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Victoria, Australia
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Aromas & flavours:** nectarines, ripe pear, lemon pith, yellow peach, grapefruit, hazelnut, smoke

## About this wine

The Timo Mayer Chardonnay 2023 hails from the Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia. Produced by German-born winemaker Timo Mayer, it embodies his philosophy of capturing the vineyard's unique character. The wine originates from the Bloody Hill vineyard, characterized by red rocky, volcanic soils and vines around 20 years old. Timo Mayer is recognized for his minimal-intervention approach, emphasizing the purity of the fruit and the terroir. The 'Bloody Hill' range now also bears the name of his son, Rivar Mayer Ferguson, signifying a continuation of the family's winemaking legacy.

## Interesting facts

- The vineyard is evocatively named 'Bloody Hill'.
- Fermented and aged in old hogsheads, with no malolactic fermentation.
- The wine is unfined and unfiltered for maximum expression.
- Timo Mayer is known for his 'bombastic, charismatic and wild' personality.

## Food pairing

The wine's bright acidity and citrus notes cut through the richness of creamy sauces and fatty proteins, while its subtle savoriness complements earthy flavors like mushrooms. Delicate seafood is enhanced by the wine's minerality and clean finish.

## Wine making process

The Timo Mayer Chardonnay 2023 undergoes full pre-fermentation oxidative handling. It is fermented and aged for six months in old hogsheads, followed by a period in stainless steel. The wine rests on gross lees for six months. Key winemaking choices include the exclusion of malolactic fermentation and lees stirring, aiming to preserve the wine's natural acidity and pure fruit expression. The wine is unfined and unfiltered.