The Apex Twin 2022

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Oakridge The Apex Twin Chardonnay is a special single barrel release that expresses nature and nurture at its zenith. It exquisitely reflects the unique character of a distinguished Yarra Valley vineyard, the craft of winemaking and the art of selection. For two decades, Chief Winemaker David Bicknell has searched for perfection. The Apex Twin defines a philosophy that purity, resonance and energy form the essence of the world's greatest chardonnays. *Members please login for pre-release access.*

Wine Details

Region Yarra Valley

State Victoria

Wine Type White Wine

Variety Type Chardonnay

Alcohol Percentage 13.5%

Background

"it's not a limited release, it's an exclusive release" Just 576 bottles produced.

Tasting Notes

"Pale yellow colour. Lovely intense nectarine, peach, lemon curd aromas with underlying vanilla, hint of marzipan, lanolin notes. Beautifully balanced, crunchy and pure with fresh ripe yellow nectarine, peach, lemon pastille fruits, fine lacy/chalky - slight al-dente textures - superb mid-palate creaminess/volume, and underlying vanilla, roasted almond tonic water notes. Finishes bittersweet and crispy/flinty. This is a superbly crafted ultra-fine Yarra Valley chardonnay that evokes the best of winemaking precision, creative flair and selection. The Apex Twin 2022 is David Bicknell's grand and ever-evolving curiosity; a wine that distills the complexity of the Funder & Diamond Vineyard's Drive Block terroir while offering a masterclass in hedonistic refinement. Share now or hold for just a few years to enjoy all the fascinating detail and layers of flavour." - Andrew Caillard MW

Vineyard Notes

The unirrigated 1990-established Funder & Diamond Vineyard, located in the Upper Yarra Valley, is the source of The Apex Twin Chardonnay 2022. At prime maturity, this Oakridge managed and sustainably farmed vineyard is planted with the highly valuable P58 Chardonnay clone. Of particular note is the low-yielding Drive Block, a 0.66 hectare patch of vines that outperformed neighbouring blocks in the 2022 vintage. Anchored in ancient and healthy red volcanic soils, these chardonnay vines produce fruit with superb aromatics, pure fruit flavours and high tensile acidity.

Winemaker's Notes

A single barrel selection from the Funder and Diamond Vineyard's Drive Block. The wine was vinified and matured in the same two-year-old French oak puncheon. After completion of fermentation the yeasts expired and settled to the bottom of the barrel, forming an under blanket of lees. A clear resonating wine with a fine-boned structure is revealed, but over the next 21 months of barrel maturation these lees interact with the wine; imbuing subtle flavours and promoting oak integration.

Product Reviews (2)

Halliday Wine Companion - 97pts

“While I’m not sure how I feel about another highly priced ‘icon’ wine, if anyone has earned the right to release one it’s Oakridge and its chardonnay impresario, David Bicknell. From a 0.66ha block within the Funder & Diamond vineyard and fermented and matured in a two-year-old puncheon. Less aromatic and more restrained on the bouquet than the 864 Chardonnays, this is all about the silky textured, mouth-filling and multi-faceted palate. As thoughtful and thought provoking as the electronic music of Aphex Twin, who inspired the name, it will be truly fascinating to see how this evolves.” – Philip Rich

Robert Parker Wine Advocate - 97pts

“It’s no secret that I am enduring fan of Australian Chardonnay. I can’t get enough of it. In this country, the purity of fruit, focus, tension and acid are all handled with expert care and execution, but sometimes I can’t help wishing for more texture. I am drawn to phenolic grip and chalk, tension and minerality … aspects that play into the experience over and above fruit characters. So here, we have the first release of a special wine from Oakridge—the 2022 The Apex Twin. Winemaker Dave Bicknell said that he saw this barrel—fruit sourced from the Funder and Diamond vineyard, destined for the 864 cuvée—and knew something more had to be done with it. So, he judiciously ignored it for a further half a year, settling it to tank in a single three-year-old puncheon for two winters after its harvest. What we lose in this longer process is aromatics, but what we gain is weight, texture, complexity and distinction. If you’re a fan of the ambient, haunting notes of Richard D James’ Aphex Twin (I couldn’t help but play the 1994 album while tasting this wine), then it will fit, key into lock with this wine. It’s all recommended. The music, the wine…

There are flavors of burnt toffee and fennel, cardamom pod, salted white peach, wet concrete and moss, saffron, roast chicken skin and crushed shells. It is complex and savory, wide and exciting, open-weave, sapid and intense as hell and very long through the finish. Sealed under Diam and foil, 13.5% alcohol. 576 bottles only, $300 (making it now Australia’s fifth most expensive Chardonnay, if I am not mistaken). Drink: 2025 – 2037.” – Erin Larkin