2023 J&S Fielke Lenswood Chardonnay

Jemma and Steve Fielke are quickly gaining a following for this beautifully crafted Lenswood Chardonnay. From a single vineyard high in the Adelaide Hills, this Chardonnay is all about balance. The east-facing vines enjoyed an extended, gentle ripening, giving sky-high acidity, ripe flavour, and modest alcohol.

Their winemaking approach is lo-fi yet precise: whole bunch pressing, a mix of 20% new oak, seasoned oak, and stainless steel, with wild fermentation leading the way. Sulphur was added only after natural malolactic fermentation in late spring. No fining, no filtering—just pure, eight-month-matured Chardonnay.

The result is a taut, minerally Chardonnay with a savoury backbone. Rich in fruit, textured, and savoury, it's lucid and revealing with each sip. Crafted with care and bottled with soul, this is small-batch Chardonnay as it should be—pure vineyard expression. Don’t wait too long; only a small amount was made in 2023 and it will likely disappear fast.

96 points
"Superb chardonnay of immense character and personality... A nod in the direction of Jura chardonnay, no doubt, so fanciers of those wines should line up here, too. That being said, unique, distinct, distinguished, complex and super high-ranking in drinkability. Utter charm."
- Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points
"Well, if you liked the 2022, you’re pretty much in for more of the same here, though if anything, it seems perhaps a little more finely-wrought... Such an engaging wine, and different too; walks its own walk, and talks a bit funny compared to your usual Hills Chardonnay, though that’s absolutely part of its charm. This is the way."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)