95 Points - Shanteh Wale | Last Stocks
Shaw and Smith have been on the forefront of the ongoing refinement and evolution of Australian Chardonnay; their M3 Chardonnay is considered among Australia's greatest examples. Made with the aim of elegance, restraint and the capacity to age, this offers a complexity and intensity rarely found.
The 2023 Shaw & Smith M3 Chardonnay is another top-line Adelaide Hills Chardonnay that will be welcomed by the many fans of this wine. Energetic and intense with notes of lemon curd, grapefruit pith and ginger snap. This release has beautiful natural acidity and a weight and complexity that is a triumph of the season.
"95 Points. In case you were not aware you are drinking some of the first grapes picked from the S+S high density planting of the Piccadilly vineyard. Lemon verbena, grapefruit and wet concrete. Celery stem, fresh ginger and printer paper. Peach cheeks and almond nougat. A wash of electrifying acidity, coconut jelly creaminess and finishing with a sake like leesy quality. This is intense in flavour as we have come to expect from the M3 perhaps with more savoury shapes than previous years. It’s compact and muscular but with nice elongated lines of acidity and freshness of citrus fruit. For a chilly vintage this is showing very well now and will cellar up to 5 years. Serve with baked buttery bbq pork char siu bao buns."- Stanteh Wale, The Wine Pilot, June 2024.
"94 Points. Energetic and intense. A mellow and understated chardonnay but with plenty of detail in spice, gentle savouriness and winemaking seasoning, cool acidity, a tightly wound fruit profile, general minerality and high drinkability. Overall, elegant and refined, sleek across the palate and quite compact with a light juiciness in tow. Nougat, lime curd, green apple and ginger in the bouquet, a similar set of descriptors to taste, with a lively trail of spice following on. High in the pleasure stakes, this continues to be an impressive Hills chardonnay"- Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion, August 2024.
