2023 Symons Chardonnay

Rich and mouth filling with a gentle creamy feel counterpointed by vibrant acidity.

Matured in French oak barriques and puncheons for approximately 8 months. Bright yellow straw colour with a watery hue. White peach, nectarine and dried honey aromas show plenty of intensity with some citrus, nougat, crème brulee and subtle cashew notes also evident. Rich mouth filling flavours of white peach, dried honey and subtle crème brulee are counterpointed by fresh citrusy acidity. Some cashew and spicy nougat elements also make an appearance. Excellent concentration with a gentle creaminess to the otherwise long, vibrant finish.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 13.5%

Other Reviews…..
Such a sense of pride with the inaugural release of Mike Symon’s wines. He spent 13 or so years at Stonier, but these days he’s gone back to basics – vineyard work, hands-on winemaking – although he always did that. And he’s the winemaker at Scorpo. The peninsula is his patch. This a blend of two sites: Coolart Creek vineyard in Merricks, which he manages, and Stanley Road, previously known as Jimjoca, which he oversees for Scorpo. Hand-picked fruit, whole-bunch pressed to old puncheons, no mlf and aged nine months. This is very, very good. Floral and spicy with white nectarine, lemon, freshly sliced apple and some ginger powder. It’s a little chalky with wafts of truffley lees, the palate very fine with a saline tang to the acidity and a lingering finish. Drink 2024-2033.
95 Points
Jane Faulkner - Halliday's Australian Wine Companion

Mike Symons, ex of Stonier, now at Scorpo, is a top fellow. Certainly knows his way around the Mornington Peninsula. This is a new project for him, and the inaugural release. This comes from a blend of two vineyards in Merricks – Coolart Creak and Stanley Road (nee Jimjoca). Two three year old puncheons. No malo. The wines are made at Scorpo, which they share with Barney Flanders of Garagiste, so help them. Morning(ton) tea must be an interesting affair. I did my own bottle image. Not too shabby really, albeit a little wonky.
Intense Chardonnay here. A whole lot of flavour and tight acidity with it. Nectarine, pink grapefruit, biscuit spice and cedar, some aniseed and something of a tangy yoghourt character. It’s flinty and chalky, it has almost no struck match and all that stuff, more about fruit and subtle, but present, oak, there’s some preserved lemon here too, with a zesty finish offering quite some acid bite and excellent length. Very good. Drink 2024-2031+
94 Points
Gary Walsh – The Wine Front