The terroir-focused delicacy of the Burton McMahon Chardonnay 2022 duo

Terroir is a great word, but man, it comes with a lot of baggage. At least with this Burton McMahon Chardonnay 2022 duo, the whole concept is very straightforward.

Here, Gundog Estate’s Matt Burton & Seville Estate’s Dylan McMahon have joined forces to make two Chardonnay wines, crafted in exactly the same way, except from different vineyards. That’s it. Just different plots that really aren’t far from each other (10km radius).

The winemaking is wonderfully hands-off for both – handpicked fruit that is whole bunch pressed, then racked to barrel on basically full solids and a wild ferment. No malo, sulphured after the primary ferment, matured in 30% new oak for 10 months. Both 12.8% alcohol. $50 both. 13% on the label.

Same same, but so different.

With these new 2022 releases, Dylan & Matt have lobbed them right in the sweet spot of delicacy vs flavour depth, too. They’re perhaps the best of the Burton McMahon Chardonnay vintage releases, and I’ve seen a few (read some of the review back catalogue here), although my favourite was quite a step up this year.

As usual, the extra contextual bits are in italics for these notes, and keen to hear your thoughts. Do you like these winemaker’s terroir exercises?

Burton McMahon George’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

Picked at the same baume (11.8} but five days later than the D’Aloisio Vineyard fruit. Final pH of 3.15 (this wine) vs 3.34 is interesting, given that the TA is almost identical (6.6 vs 6.5g/L). From a vineyard in Seville East on grey soils.

Finely filigreed and lean, but not lacking. Plenty of solidsy funk, but it’s lemony and generous too. There are lines of lemon toast and whipped butter, even though the acidity is grapefruit and chalky. A lovely, refreshing, modern, cool and detailed Chardonnay. 18.5/20, 94/100.

Burton McMahon D’Aloisio’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

From a higher vineyard – 230m (vs 180m) and an ‘expressive style’ from the red volcanic soils.

Less lemon and clay detail, more restraint. Clay, mealy oak and great fruit background notes. I kept looking for more flavour beyond white peach, but it’s locked up cool and tight. The lines are great, even if it is a bit sullen now, and so very refreshing. The future will be very kind – it just needs a bit more air now. 18/20, 93/100.