Certified organic. After years of working in the region, Jeff Byrne’s little black book of quality fruit contacts in Orange is packed, but he does have his favourites. This is the fifth release of Byrne Farm Chardonnay, and the fruit source has remained the same since year one. For this wine, Jeff works with three plots of almost 30-year-old vines (some of the oldest in the region) within the Balmoral block at Nashdale. Perched on the northeast-facing slope of Mount Canobolas at a lofty 880 metres, these old vines are rooted in volcanic chocolate ferrosol soils.
The 2024 season saw a break in the cool trend of the preceding three years in Orange. A warm spring with some well-timed showers meant canopies were full and healthy going into summer. The mercury tipped above 30 degrees a dozen or so times, so picking came earlier with full phenological ripeness – no easy feat in this proper cool climate! The fruit was picked by hand in late February and was gently pressed as bunches to 500-litre puncheons for fermentation. The wine matured for nine months with monthly stirring to build texture and breadth. Malolactic conversion was avoided to preserve the alluring white stone fruit purity in this warmer year. Jeff is delighted with the results. “There’s heaps of flavour, with the hallmark mineral acidity of Orange,” he told us. As is always the case with this talented maker’s wines, there’s serious bang for your buck here.
Critic Reviews
96 POINTS
Shanteh Wale - Halliday Wine Companion
Fermented in a single 2500L French oak barrel. There is a singular personality here worth your while. Mandarin skin, mock orange blooms and yellow doughnut peach. There is a briny wash of salinity that threads through the very fine acidity and some white tea tannins right on the end. Once again oak hums along in the background, providing a melodic tune. Sandstone, brown baking paper warm from the oven and oat milk creaminess. This is a sleeper wine that will age glacially and maintain its charisma and energy for over a decade to come. A star is born.
95 POINTS
Shanteh Wale - Halliday Wine Companion
Another release, the fifth from Jeff Byrne, is another wine of tension and purity. He understands the assignment to make the most of Orange’s distinct soils and altitude. Pomelo pulp, lemon sorbet and white peach. Crisp orchard apples and freesia. This is dripping in fruit richness and oak plays second fiddle to the citrus heart. This is chardonnay after all and it's fleshed out in the sides and round curves where it should be. Acidity pushes the wine forward and up a steady incline without being sour or discordant. Some white pepper, nutmeg and sour dough on the finish. This is extreme value for money and the kind of chardonnay that modern day fanatics of the variety are coveting.
95 POINTS
Kasia Sobiesiak - The Wine Front
Great follow up from the 2023. Tasted blind at the Orange Wine Show in September and it was a no-blinking, no-brainer moment. 95 points. Boom. I retrieved my original note from the day of judgment. Here is. Chaotic—wine show style.
Nougat, milk powder, oatmeal, custard powder, apple, lemon, zesty, zingy palate, a bit salty in the finish. Driving. Beautiful composition, mouthwatering. Absolutely delicious, effortless, graceful drinking.
94 POINTS
Angus Hughson - Vinous
The Byrne Farm 2024 Chardonnay Single Vineyard is benchmark Chardonnay from Orange with its natural fruit energy reined in by an impressive use of oak. It opens with precise fruit aromas of nectarine, apricot and pink grapefruit, all beautifully integrated with fine French oak and lifted by well-managed gunflint reduction. This is a finer style but boasts killer purity and fine detail through the long, laser-like finish. One of the best yet from the region.
92 POINTS
Angus Hughson - Vinous
The 2024 Chardonnay, from a vineyard at 900 meters, is not shy, bursting with mango seed, peach skin and gentle blossom aromas kept in check by a fine line of oak. Searing acidity lies at its core, enhanced by fine and pretty pear and citrus flavors. Very well constructed and finely tuned, although it needs time to blossom.
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Tasting Notes
Certified organic. After years of working in the region, Jeff Byrne’s little black book of quality fruit contacts in Orange is packed, but he does have his favourites. This is the fifth release of Byrne Farm Chardonnay, and the fruit source has remained the same since year one. For this wine, Jeff works with three plots of almost 30-year-old vines (some of the oldest in the region) within the Balmoral block at Nashdale. Perched on the northeast-facing slope of Mount Canobolas at a lofty 880 metres, these old vines are rooted in volcanic chocolate ferrosol soils.
The 2024 season saw a break in the cool trend of the preceding three years in Orange. A warm spring with some well-timed showers meant canopies were full and healthy going into summer. The mercury tipped above 30 degrees a dozen or so times, so picking came earlier with full phenological ripeness – no easy feat in this proper cool climate! The fruit was picked by hand in late February and was gently pressed as bunches to 500-litre puncheons for fermentation. The wine matured for nine months with monthly stirring to build texture and breadth. Malolactic conversion was avoided to preserve the alluring white stone fruit purity in this warmer year. Jeff is delighted with the results. “There’s heaps of flavour, with the hallmark mineral acidity of Orange,” he told us. As is always the case with this talented maker’s wines, there’s serious bang for your buck here.
