Product Description:
The Lake's Folly Chardonnay 2024 is a perfect expression of the estate’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Made from low-yielding, estate-grown fruit, this wine offers a fresh, lifted nose with clean aromas of pear and tropical fruit, complemented by subtle hints of vanilla. The palate is soft, textural, and silky, with pure pear-driven fruits that shine through thanks to careful barrel fermentation and regular stirring of the yeast lees. This process creates a seamless mouthfeel that enhances the wine’s complexity. The ripe Chardonnay fruit is generous and balanced, with soft acidity, delivering the hallmark length and persistence that Lake's Folly wines are known for. This is a wine that exemplifies elegance and finesse, with an incredible capacity for aging.
Maker:
Lake’s Folly is a testament to the visionary spirit and dedication of its founders. Established in 1963 by Dr. Max Lake, the winery was the first boutique vineyard in the Hunter Valley and remains one of the most respected names in Australian winemaking. Today, under the stewardship of Peter and Lee Fogarty, and with the expertise of winemaker Rodney Kempe, Lake’s Folly continues to craft its two flagship wines—Cabernet blend and Chardonnay—with unwavering attention to detail. The focus on producing small quantities of premium, estate-grown fruit reflects the estate’s commitment to quality over quantity, allowing each wine to showcase the unique terroir of the region.
The philosophy behind Lake’s Folly is simple yet profound: great wines come from great vineyards. With over 50-year-old vines, the estate’s terroir—characterised by a rare combination of volcanic hill, alluvial creek flat, and south-easterly aspect—provides the ideal conditions for growing world-class wine grapes. The philosophy also embraces sustainability, ensuring that every step of the winemaking process, from vineyard management to bottling, is done on-site to express the true character of the land. Through traditional winemaking techniques, including handpicking, open fermentation, and French oak maturation, Lake’s Folly wines are crafted to be elegant, complex, and capable of aging gracefully. This approach results in wines with clarity of structure, finesse, and the hallmark length and persistence that Lake’s Folly wines are renowned for.
Vineyard | Lake's Folly Chardonnay:
Lake’s Folly Chardonnay is crafted from estate-grown fruit, grown in sandy loam soils that are rich in minerals. This location is ideal for producing wines with depth, structure, and remarkable balance. The vineyard’s proximity to the volcanic hill provides the Chardonnay vines with a unique combination of warmth and protection, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly, retaining acidity while developing rich fruit flavors. The Chardonnay vines are carefully managed, with crop levels kept low to ensure the production of fruit that’s both concentrated and expressive of the land. With an average age of 50 years, these vines consistently yield high-quality fruit that forms the backbone of Lake’s Folly Chardonnay.
The winemaking process at Lake’s Folly focuses on maintaining the purity of the fruit while adding complexity through traditional techniques. After handpicking, the grapes undergo barrel fermentation in French oak, where they spend several months on lees, resulting in a rich, creamy texture with subtle oak influence. The wine is bottled without malolactic fermentation, preserving its fresh, crisp character. This Chardonnay is a true representation of the region's potential, offering a perfect balance of fruit, acidity, and oak integration. Its vibrant, textured palate and long finish make it a standout expression of Hunter Valley Chardonnay, and it will continue to evolve beautifully with age.
Tasting Notes:
NOSE: Fresh, Fruity, Subtle Vanilla
The nose is clean and lifted, offering a delightful combination of pear and tropical fruit aromas, with subtle hints of vanilla adding depth to the fragrance.
PALATE: Soft, Textural, Pure Fruit
The palate is soft and smooth, with a focus on pure, pear-driven fruit flavours. The regular stirring of the yeast lees during barrel fermentation enhances the textural complexity, creating a seamless mouthfeel with a hint of creaminess.
FINISH: Balanced, Persistent, Elegant
The finish is long, persistent, and perfectly balanced. The wine’s soft acidity complements the fruit and oak components, leaving a lasting impression of freshness and elegance.
The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Chardonnay
Country - Australia
Region - Hunter Valley, New South Wales
Vintage - 2024
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14%