Description

Planted 1999, Dash Farms sits perched at over 450m asl on the Southern granitic slopes of Mt

Alexander (Leanganook) looking back towards Mt Macedon and the Macedon Ranges. Like Ray-

Monde, it sits just outside the Macedon Ranges GI. Ripening for Chardonnay occurs around a week

earlier than my family’s vineyard Cobaw Ridge. These lean granite soils and high altitude confer

both concentration and freshness at low sugar levels.

Once hand harvested with careful sorting in the vineyard, the bunches were partially crushed by

foot and very gently pressed. Overnight settling then occurs before transfer to a combination of new

Stockinger 300l oak and Burgundian piece for fermentation and lees ageing for 12 months.

This is then followed by four months in stainless steel on fine lees, before racking and bottling,

unfined and unfiltered.

Pale with a green edge, Dash Farm’s offers restrained aromas of crushed rock, lemon and grapefruit

rind, just ripe nectarine and spice. Flavours carry through to a dense and powerful palate with

powdery phenolics, flinty, savoury complexity and a fine acid line, finishing creamy and long. The best vintage of this cuvee yet.