The 2024 growing season was a contrast to the three prior cooler/wetter La Nina seasons, and this wine is just singing already.
Stargazer use fruit from their own Palisander vineyard in Coal River Valley + sourced from growers in the Upper Derwent Valley and Richmond. The Stargazer plot was planted in 2017, south-facing and is primarily brown dermosol on Jurassic dolerite.
Hand-picked, whole bunch pressed directly to oak for fermentation. 100% wild ferment in 500L French oak(Mercurey), 20% new. Full malolactic. No lees stirring, left in barrel for 8 months, then blended in tank for 6 weeks before bottling.
Pale straw in colour, on the nose it is all bright fresh lemon peel and ripe white peaches. Custard pastry and cashew nuts with a subtle flinty layer add a secondary layer under the primary fruit. The generous stonefruit upfront on the palate is framed by judicious use of oak, with long flavours of almonds and honeycomb finishing with a pink sea salt briny drive.

- Samantha Connew - owner + winemaker