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Toolangi Vineyard is one of the Yarra Valley’s great Chardonnay sites. Nestled in the Dixon’s Creek subregion and adjoining the Toolangi State Forest, this sheltered, low-cropping site is planted to Gingin, Mendoza and I10V3 Chardonnay clones that sit in fine clay-loam soils. Year after year, this unique vineyard produces wines with a distinctive personality and strong sense of place. Pauls Lane Chardonnay comes from just 20 rows within the D Block on the 11-hectare property. All these vines are I10V3 planted when the vineyard was first established in 1995.
The fruit was handpicked on 2nd March, three weeks earlier than the previous year when conditions were cooler. The fruit was crushed, destemmed and pressed to French oak (20%) for fermentation and nine months’ maturation on lees. Winemaker Kaspar Hermann shies away from malolactic conversion for Pauls Lane, finding the I clone has natural acid/flavour balance without it. After a couple of low-cropping years, the mild and uneventful spring of 2024 saw better flowering and a bounce-back of sorts for yields. The harvest period was warm and even, and the resulting wines are packed full of pure citrus and stone fruit flavours with attractive zesty acidity, delicate spice and a saline flick on the lengthy close. This is full-tilt Chardonnay made by one of the best in the business!