Forester Estate

Margaret River Yelverton Reserve Chardonnay 2025

Grape variety 100 Chardonnay Gingin clone Oak maturation 10 months 42 new and 58 2 year old French oak barriques and puncheons Typical analysis 132 AlcVol Colour Pale strawgreen Aroma Subtle and elegant with aromas of meal and lanolin Theres balanced nutty oak providing support to the peach and lime fruit with an underlying smokygunflint character Palate Long and focused with a light to medium bod creamy texture and laser like acidity Theres more complexity on the palate with lanolin nougat flint roasted nuts grapefruit and a slight wood smoke note The finish is long firm and refreshing A pristine yet complex Chardonnay that will age gracefully over the next 10 years Food matches Pumpkin ravioli grilled veal chops cheddar cheese seafood Peak drinking Drinking well upon release but has the potential to evolve and impress towards 2036 Viticulture All the fruit used to make the Yelverton Chardonnay is sourced from our Forrest Vineyard located in Wilyabrup The grapes are grown with absolute attention to detail Identification of soil boundaries within blocks is the first step in selecting potentially superior fruit Close monitoring and analysis of these vines leads to shoot or bunch thinning by hand if required to obtain the perfect balance for good exposure and healthy ripening A philosophy of minimal inputs in this premium block allows the unique combination of variety soil type and microclimate to shine through and produce a parcel of fruit with true character The 2025 vintage was a mild growing season allowing the fruit to ripen slowly which helped to retain fine natural acidity Winemaking Our Forester Yelverton Chardonnay grapes are hand picked and held in cold storage overnight to eliminate the need for must chilling All fruit is whole bunch pressed with only the first 500 litres per tonne used to make this wine The juice is then left to start fermentation naturally in barrel 22 of the wine was put through malolactic fermentation for the sole purpose of reducing the harsh malic acid The barrels had minimal lees stirring over the 10 months on lees Storage and Bottling The 2025 Yelverton was bottled in January of 2026 to premium Burgundy glass with a stelvin closure Stored in our temperature controlled cellar prior to release this wine is drinking exceptionally well now and with prudent storage should continue to show well towards 2036