A Rodda Smiths Vineyard Chardonnay 2024
The Wine
Planted in 1978, the Smiths vineyard features four blocks of Chardonnay, with the Triangle Block of just 183 vines providing the fruit for this wine. Sitting at 550 metres with an easterly aspect, it lies in a transition zone between the two defining soil types of Beechworth: granitic and shaley red Ordovician.
The 2024 vintage yielded an exceptional crop, with the fruit whole-bunch pressed straight to oak for ambient fermentation, bypassing clarification or racking. After fermentation, the wine was sulphured and left to rest on lees for 12 months, then matured in older oak for a further four months before bottling.
A quietly expressive bouquet of lemon pith, grapefruit peel and white nectarine is edged with flint and nutmeg, with hints of quince and gentle biscuity oak. The palate is poised and assured: stone fruit at its core, framed by granitic minerality and bright citrus acidity. A silky texture carries mealy, nutty complexity, finishing long and precise with a line of grapefruit pith. a Rodda. A Rodda
97 Pts Gabrielle Poy, The Real Review ''A bit of a sleeper at first, with airy notes of flint, nutmeg and fennel coming to the fore. With a little more nudging, spiced stone-fruits and earthy wafts of fresh moss appear. The core exudes a quiet confidence, anchored by stone-fruits layered with flint, white button mushroom and sweet spices. It’s been handled with great care and judicious winemaking lets the fruit take centre stage, although pockets of complexity arise. This is a brilliant chardonnay that delivers its greatness with ease and calm.'
96 Pts Jeni Port, James Halliday Wine Companion 'Adrian Rodda is a naturally intuitive maker of chardonnay with an understanding of nuance, poise. Both come together here with the 550m high Smith Vineyard’s signature fruit intensity and granitic minerality. It’s a formidable combo. Lemon pith, grapefruit peel, nectarine, quince, biscuity oak and spice bring forward super fine, lifted aromas. With lively acid drive in place, the palate lights up with flavours running deep, textures smooth and a growing mealy, nutty complexity that just keeps going. Great chardonnay.'
The Details
Variety - Chardonnay
Country - Australia
Region - Victoria
Sub Region - Beechworth
Extra - Screwcap
Year - 2024
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
Adrian Rodda has been making wine since 1998. Originally working with David Bicknell at Oakridge, he was involved in the development of the superb Oakridge 864 Chardonnay, with his final contribution to this wine in 2009.
At the start of 2010, Adrian and his wife Christie moved to Beechworth and joined Mark Walpole, of Fighting Gully Road, to work on the Smiths Vineyard – which was planted to Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot back in 1978.
From 2011, the range has grown to include a Bordeaux Blend, based around Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Smiths Vineyard (Beechworth), and a Tempranillo from the ‘Aquila Audax’ Vineyard (Beechworth) – this was Adrian’s first foray with a Mediterranean variety.
In 2012, Adrian commenced the ‘Chardonnay Project’: Where he works with established, premium Chardonnay vineyards across Victoria. Chardonnay is sourced from the ‘Willowlake’ Vineyard in the Yarra Valley, which is vinified in parallel with the ‘Smiths’ Vineyard, in Beechworth.
In 2017, a third single-vineyard site was secured: Chardonnay from the ‘Baxendale’ Vineyard at Whitlands, in the King Valley. Noted as being in the cooler, upper-reaches of North East Victoria, this Whitlands’ site produces exceptional fruit at 560-620m elevation.
Offering three single-vineyard Chardonnay, Adrian showcases the typicity of each vineyard, and captures exceptional varietal expression in each wine.
In recent times, Adrian planted a high-density Nebbiolo vineyard on his own Mayday Hills property, and recently bottled the first harvest from the 2023 vintage. The wine is looking very good for a first crack on his own land – keep an eye out for that one!
