Place of Changing Winds Marsanne 2021

"Place of Changing Winds – the place and the vineyard – may well be the most exciting ‘new’ development in Australian wine. It will jump straight on to elite lists of Australian wine producers. You could describe this endeavour in one word: uncompromised."  Campbell Mattinson | WineFront

This year the Marsanne comes from the same vineyard as the Harcourt Syrah. There is also a fair dollop of Roussanne in the blend, from the same site. Following previous practice with this wine, the grapes were picked fully ripe, pressed hard and sent straight to barrel (500 and 228-litre) for fermentation and aging. Primary fermentation and malolactic were left to happen naturally. After 12 months in cask, the wine was racked to tank for an additional 10 months, before the wine was bottled at the start of February 2023.
 
As with previous releases, this wine is the opposite of what you would typically expect of an Australian Marsanne regarding harvesting dates, winemaking and style. It will certainly age well—gaining more and more honeyed characters—but it’s delicious now. Rob and Remi believe this to be their best ‘Rhône’ white thus far. Who are we to disagree? It has the same power and richness of previous releases yet with perhaps more vibrancy thanks to Harcourt’s granitic soils and climate, as well as the inclusion of some Roussanne.
 
“Really textural, rich and potent, a savoury edge and more on the preserved lemon, ginger, buttery honey toast with cool acidity underlying. It’s very complex, a layered and intense experience with Serious White Wine written all over it. Mouth-coating and lush in the most wonderful sense. Multi-dimensional wine. A full and fantastic white wine.” 94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Organic vineyard (currently undergoing certification)