Fraser Gallop Estate farms a small parcel in Wilyabrup, the heart of Margaret River, and the Parterre bottling comes off a single block of Chardonnay planted on the region's gravelly ironstone soils. It is a dry, full-bodied white from the 2017 vintage, made from Chardonnay and nothing else.
- Chardonnay, the only grape in the bottle.
- Margaret River, Western Australia's maritime south-west.
- 2017, a warm, generous vintage in the region.
- Dry, full-bodied, high in acidity.
- 13% ABV, 750ml.
How it is made
Margaret River sits between two oceans, and that maritime climate gives Chardonnay a long, even ripening season. The region is small, a few hours south of Perth, and its gravelly, ironstone-streaked soils are what most growers credit for the concentration and drive in the fruit. Parterre is the estate's single-block wine, kept separate from the rest of the Chardonnay on the property.
How it tastes
White peach and citrus lead, with a flinty edge underneath and a hazelnut note that comes from time on lees and oak. The texture is creamy and full, held in place by high acidity, so the wine stays taut rather than soft. Sweet patisserie aromas, lemon tart and meringue, sit over crisp green pear and sweet lime.
Where it comes from
Margaret River is a young wine region by Australian standards, planted seriously only from the late 1960s, and Chardonnay was among the first varieties the pioneers put in. The appellation is now one of the country's most respected for the grape, known for wines that sit between the richness of California and the restraint of Burgundy.
Good to know
Wilyabrup is often named as the sub-region within Margaret River with the strongest reputation for Chardonnay and Cabernet, and several of the area's most collected wines come from a handful of neighbouring blocks.
